The year I discovered followership

My fascination with followership began in February 2007. Three years later, I self-published my first book on the subject (in Swedish). I had to self-publish because not a single Swedish publisher would even consider reading the manuscript. I got the impression that followership was considered a strange and rather ridiculous topic.

To my surprise, the book got some media attention. I think partly it was because it was the first time "följarskap" (followership) as a concept was introduced in Sweden. In fact, I believe it was the first time the word "följarskap" was used. The Swedish Royal Library has been digitalizing all newspapers as far back as the 1700s. When I recently searched for the word "följarskap," I found that the word "tronföljarskap" (best translated as "succession to the throne") was used once in 1925. Other than that, the first time the word "följarskap" was used was in 2010 in Dagens Nyheter, one of the largest newspapers in Sweden.

Exploring natural followership in various environments.

The article was based on an interview I’d given, where I’d presented my thoughts on followership. At that time, I’d not yet developed the concept of "natural followership," although I was moving in that direction. I remember trying to explain that people only follow when they're driven by an intrinsic desire to achieve something together with others. Yet, I wasn’t very successful, and in the article, it still comes across as though followers and employees are the same, just as leaders were assumed to be managers.

For many years after that, the interest in followership in Sweden remained low. Only in the last three to five years have I noticed a significant increase in interest in the subject. I am convinced that in a few years, most successful businesses and organizations will prioritize followership as much as, if not more than, leadership.

While I’m pleased with the topic's development, my next goal is to raise awareness about the societal impact of the leadership industry and the importance of followership in sustaining and enhancing democracy worldwide. At the moment, this topic has not yet gained any attention, but I believe it will, and I do hope you join me on this journey.