Find the loudest voice in the room
COMING 2027
Follow,
Don't Lead.
How Elite Executives Rise to the Top Without Ever Being Blamed for Anything
The framework behind the most quietly successful careers in American business. Twenty-two years in the making. Field-tested at 412 offsites.
FROM THE INTRODUCTION
“Every autumn, geese fly south in a perfect V.
Business authors love this image.
What they won't tell you is that the lead goose is exhausted.”
Be the rested goose.
THE FRAMEWORK
The F.O.L.L.O.W. Method™
Six principles. Twenty-two years of field testing. Zero visions.
Observe which way it's leaning
Lean the same direction, slightly harder
Loudly agree, ideally second
Own nothing in writing
Wait for the reorg
A QUICK ASSESSMENT
Is Your Organization Ready for Followership?
- Your calendar has no white space.
- Your last important decision is still in a working group.
- Someone said "let's circle back" today.
- Your status report is Amber-Green.
- The person who presented the idea is not the person who got the credit.
- You have replied "+1" to an email you did not read.
If you nodded at any of these, you're already further along than you think.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“I haven't finished it, but I agree with it completely.”
Brent HaverfordChief Alignment Officer, Vexion Dynamics
“Whitmore reminds us that the bravest thing a leader can do is be in the room when someone else is brave.”
Patricia Holm-AveryBoard Member, seven boards
“+1”
Greg DunstanVP, Strategic Initiatives
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chad Whitmore, MBA
Chad Whitmore has held the title of Senior Vice President of Strategic Alignment at five Fortune 1000 companies, each of which credits him with being present during its most important decisions. He has attended 412 offsites and has never once been identified as the reason a project failed.
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