The Courageous Follower: STANDING UP TO & FOR OUR LEADERS

Abstract

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED to all those who have found themselves for mally in the role of a follower and who acted on the courage of their con victions despite strong external pressure and cultural inhibitions against doing so. Most of these acts go unnoticed and unsung. An exception was a pair of courageous acts that occurred during a contemporary military engagement. The first act was by a United States Army field commander who refused to follow his superior’s repeated orders to fire because he believed the position was occupied by other elements of his own army. He was right, and by refusing to comply, he saved his fellow soldiers’ lives from “friendly fire.” The second act was by the army officers reviewing the inci dent. They recognized the commander’s refusal to obey orders as an act of courage, not insubordination, and rewarded it with a medal.