Global Followership Conference

Succession planning is a strategic and often overlooked process that ensures the sustainability of leadership and followership within organizations. In the absence of effective succession planning, we risk losing not only future leaders but also the opportunity to empower followers to take on more active, engaged roles. This workshop will explore how succession planning functions as a bridge between leadership and followership, emphasizing its role in sustaining nonprofit and NGO organizations. It will include opportunities for attendees to share their best practices as well!

This interactive workshop explores the often-overlooked concept of Followership through the lens of empowerment and self-awareness. Participants will learn to cultivate effective followership using tools designed to deepen personal insight and foster organizational health. Coaches, trainers, leaders, and individuals seeking to develop a stronger sense of empowerment and purpose will benefit from this session. Key takeaways include understanding the language of empowerment and creating the self-awareness necessary for both leaders and followers to thrive. Participants will engage in live exercises, small-group discussions, personal reflection exercises, and real-life stories and scenarios to demonstrate principles and spark dialogue. Attendees will gain practical strategies they can immediately apply in their roles and organizations.

This facilitated session explores how the human resource function can transition from a support function to a strategic partner by leveraging the power of followership. Participants will share interactive discussions and exercises to identify what they envision a more strategic role to be, how to pursue it using followership techniques, and what obstacles they will need to overcome along the way. Participants will leave with insights on where their HR function is going and how to get there with the help of followership.

Conflict isn’t just a leadership challenge—strong followership plays a critical role in transforming tension into progress. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how effective followers contribute to conflict resolution, strengthen team dynamics, and drive success. You’ll learn practical strategies for bringing up conflict, naming the difference between position and interest, and fostering collaboration even in high-stakes situations. Through real-world examples, participants will leave with a new perspective on conflict as a powerful force for positive change. This session will equip participants with the tools to turn conflict into an opportunity for growth.

A key challenge in shifting attitudes toward followership is the language we use to describe it. Almost all of the attendees at the Fourth Global Followership Conference have experienced negative blowback about our own “F-Word”. Unless we can articulate the value of followership in fundamentally different ways that are clear, compelling, and resonant, our effectiveness as change agents will remain limited. To address this challenge, we must develop language that counters the negative perceptions of followership—passivity, weakness, conformity, and more. In this workshop, Gloria Williams and Tim Hurson will guide participants through dynamic, hands-on activities designed to spark insights, generate actionable ideas, and draft first-pass ‘scripts’ for productive conversations about followership. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to refine and test engaging, connection-rich discussions that highlight the tangible benefits of adopting a followership stance.