This dissertation will explore the following research question: What is the influence of the Reversing the Lens approach (Shamir, 2007) to followership on the career advancement strategies of millennials employed at universities? The research will assess millennials as being born between 1980 and 1995 and currently working at universities in the southeast United States. This is a phenomenological study with an exploratory qualitative research design that seeks to uncover and understand to what extent millennials' roles as followers and their interactions with their leaders influence their career advancement strategies. Primary instruments for evaluation include a qualitative "Followership Pre-Interview Questionnaire" and a qualitative "Millennial Followership Interview." The research will rely on the frameworks of the Reversing the Lens Approach (Shamir, 2007) to followership, followership theory (Uhl-Bein et al., 2014), and Robert Kelley's (1992) followership typology framework. The key findings of this research produced four themes first, followership, following, and being a follower is socially constructed but highly contextual, second, advancement in higher education is unlike other industries, third, institutions and industry are responsible for the main challenges to inclusion in the leadership process and in advancement opportunities, and lastly, core millennial characteristics of work-life balance, bringing the whole self to work, desire for meaningful and fulfilling work, and family runs throughout the career decision-making process. The study findings have particular implications for practice and research, as well as related leadership, learning, and service. The implications for practice and research include retention strategies and talent acquisition, leadership development and succession planning, follower characteristics as contributors to organizational outcomes, and millennial leadership practices. Implications for leadership and service include followership practiced in tandem with leadership, empowerment for innovation, and service as a shared mission. Opportunities for future research are discussed as well. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]