They Are Making It Up
 

I have just seen the latest guidance on leadership for officers completing OJARs. Within this document, sponsored (So not necessarily something he/her wrote themselves) by ACOS manning, it includes the word followship. I checked, as a word it does not exist in the COD that I have on my desk. Interesting that those who have our careers within their grasp seem to be inventing new words as well as changing the meaning of old ones.

Busy day then..?

Still... It should make a great talking point at Handbrake House 11'sies tomorrow.
:ok:

Leadership and followship would seem to go together quite naturally. :ok:

And while it may not be in the COD, it seems to exist - albeit on the Internet. Link.

There was, IIRC, a big article in a recent Air Power, you know, the volume you read on a black flag day when all the talks are over and you have to stay till 5.:}

Oh, that's OK then; it's on the Internet it must be true:ugh:

Followship - is that the new management-speak wanque-word for sycophancy and/or licking the boss's ar$e?

Presumably any whistle-blowers or those prepared to stand up for themselves will be marked down for 'weak followship' - rather than 'of questionable loyalty'?

The RAF lost its way in management nonsense speak a long time ago.

I try not to get infuriated by it anymore, but it still manages to depress me.

It's not as if all these ideas showers have incentivised any one actualy make any good decisions is it?

What a bunch of toss.

I was reading an thingy in some cheap pussers throwaway this afternoon that talked about a thing called an MPAR. Anyone know of such a thing? what is it and what purpose does it serve?

I tried, fairly successfully, to ignore manuspeak. When asked to submit a business case I feigned ignorance (not difficult) and got some jobs worth to write it for me.

When I wanted something I simply ordered it. No one ever came back and argued.

Work is avoided by refusing. Work is avoided by not raising an issue. Everyone was concerned to pass their work on but receive no work in.

I had one meeting following which I stated that I looked forward to receiving the promised advice from one of the people at the meeting. Naturally this advice never arrived to I had no difficulty avoiding work.

C Northcote Parkinson had it right. An organisation above a critical mass needs no external stimulii to become administratively self-sustaining.

You just invent something new then stand back and left the noise die down.

Hoop
 

- Yes
- Mid period appraisal report. 6 months after your annual report, you get an update on how well you are doing/badly you are..../were you listening?
- An opportunity for RO's to refine the interview from 6 months ago.

Knowing you, as I do, Vec, no, I will not set off on a rant.

Although the temptation is immense.

Hang 'em flog 'em
 

If I remember rightly, you need to be an officer of field rank & above in the Turkish military to be able to do that..:}

"followship" - that's what you get when we give in to those that say that grammar and spelling are not important.

We used to call it teamwork in my day.

Makes loud "hurrumph" noise and sticks pipe in mouth and exits room with what remains of large scotch.

Leadership - the ability to be a leader.
Followship - the ability to be a... follow? :confused:

Followership, surely.

I remember that as one of the first things we learned at Cranwell - you know - the first few leadership tasks where we all fell over each other trying to prove ourselves? The realisation that we had to support the designated leader as a supportive team member and not try to usurp and try to do the best for the team as a supporter.

Or don't you identify with that? :suspect:

followership, as in sheep?

Essentially BEage's is right. It is an invention. It is someone's 'successful' attempt to do something new and stand out from the crowd. The SO has just 2 years to make his mark, often only 6-12 months, and then off.

There are many instances where change has been introduced for change sake only to be reversed after a couple or tour cycles. The most notorious has to be the QNH/QFE debacle.

;)

Another Americanism creeping in. I do believe that it is in Websters dictionary.

Utter bollocks.


Phil

Interesting, in today's Torygraph is a quote from Fisher: Never Explain, Never Apologise.

This is the same mentality that caused the catastrophic collision in the 19th Century with the Mediterranean Fleet.

Do you score good Followership points (bit like Fellowship points) from your proximity to your RO saying 'yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full.'?

Followship...used to be 'curiosity' didn't it? As in 'He followed his Officer out of curiosity, if nothing else'? So to develop your 'Followship' you must instill as much 'curiosity' in your subordinates as possible.....random....:ok:

J_J

P_N - how would you describe the active role of 'being part of the team and supporting the leader, but related to leadership'?

I don't particularly like the word but it is a useful adjunct (I know what I mean) to 'leadership' when explaining the differences in roles. The concept isn't flawed but the language might be.