Intentional leadership

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Revision as of 15:18, 22 December 2013 by Martien (talk | contribs) (→‎Source: {{book|Flow on Stage—the art of sustainable performance}})
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Frank Heckman’s ‘leader-follower exercise’ about following and leading: effective non-verbal communication, experiencing the other’s intention, consciously or subconsciously.

Follower-Leader exercise:

  • Form pairs and both hold out your hand with the palm facing down.
  • Be and remain silent during the exercise.
  • As leader, place your hand under your partner’s hand, in such a way that they touch only very lightly.
  • As follower,
    • rest your fingertips lightly on the back of the leader’s hand;
    • close your eyes.
  • As leader,
    • stay where you are;
    • intend to get your partner to follow;
    • gently start to move your hand—high, low, far, close, round, straight.
  • Switch roles and repeat: the follower becomes the leader and vice versa; repeat the exercise.
  • Discuss the exercise: what’s interesting about it?
  • Repeat, but a bit more difficult:
    • As leader, you not only move your hand, but actually. Make sure you are followed.
    • slowly walk through the room, in addition to moving your hands;
    • stick to the movement of high, low, far, close, round and straight.
  • Switch roles and repeat.
  • Discuss what happened to you (unless it was too intense an experience for you, then call in professional help or something):
    • Were you aware of the effect of your intentions (direction, speed, commitment) on your partner?
    • What is it like to lead or to follow?
    • What do you prefer, to lead or to follow?
    • What is an essential precondition for this to work? (trust)

Source