Followership: Leadership's Partner

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A Lab Manager's Perspective

Leadership has been and continues to be extensively researched with an abundance of scholarly and self-help literature readily available. Largely under-researched is followership and its importance to both leadership and organizational success. This situation is changing with a recognition that effective leaders require effective followers.

Followers are not subordinates, but are individuals with the free will to decide who they wish to follow and which leader they wish to help be successful. Effective leaders capture the hearts and minds of followers and in doing so, can influence how followers think and how they behave. Leadership literature is comprehensive in explaining leadership styles, attributes and approaches to influencing people. Potential followers must feel motivated to be influenced. To enable motivation, there needs to be an effective relationship built between the leader and the potential follower. The ideal leader/follower relationship is a partnership with both parties focused on sharing responsibility for successfully achieving a common goal. This is a win-win scenario for the leader, the follower and the organization.

Types of Followers

Just as there are different types of leaders, social scientists tell us there are different types of followers. Leaders building effective relationships with followers are well advised to understand not only the characteristics of the different follower types and the factors which motivate or de-motivate each type, but also to understand the type of follower they are themselves.

Followers, like leaders, tend to have a dominant style. Some styles are effective and some are less so. Effective leaders seek out, create and surround themselves with effective followers who will actively support and partner with them. Environment can greatly influence a follower's style and motivation to become an effective follower. Neither leadership nor followership types or models are considered to be rigid. There will often be situations in nature, due to the complexity of many factors, that influence how individuals think and behave. An understanding of followership styles provides useful insight for leaders seeking to increase their own effectiveness and therefore their success.

Follower characteristics and classifications are described in a variety of ways in the literature but generally can be grouped into four types.

1. Exemplary Follower (also called critical thinker, star follower, self starter)

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