In the past twenty years, the world of leadership studies has been challenged to acknowledge its inseparable counterpart: Followership. Leadership programs now increasingly incorporate followership theory, practice and development in their curriculum. Our speaker, Ira Chaleff, has been in the forefront of this movement with his classic work, The Courageous Follower: Standing Up To and For Our Leaders. Having spent much of his career in the political sector, he is now applying the lens of followership to understanding one of humanity’s most intractable phenomenon: the rise of tyrannical political leaders on both the political left and right.

In his new book, To Stop a Tyrant, rather than focus on the leader, or lament the blight they bring to freedom, Chaleff walks us through a new way of understanding the power of followers to interrupt the toxic trajectory. In a politically polarized climate, he brings a refreshing non-partisan voice that invites us to better understand the dynamics of how we can create political leaders that use appropriate power for the public good.

This event is intended for University of Michigan students, staff, faculty, and alumni.

Pre-speaker reception at 4 PM with appetizers.
Hosted with support from our campus partners: CEW+, Sanger Leadership Center, and the Ford School Leadership Initiative.