Leadership: The Role And Importance Of Followership

Sometimes leaders are glorified and other times they are criticized or taken for granted; whatever the case, leaders obviously play a vital role in the success or failure of any group, organization, city, state, or country. Unfortunately, leadership does not have a one-size-fits-all definition, but it clearly demands self-awareness, self-regulation, and sometimes, self-sacrifice. Leaders are both born and made. Some capabilities are inherited and others are learned through personal and professional experiences. It is important to remember that through all the research and differing perspectives, one common theme remains, true leadership is an influential process that constantly moves an individual or group forward. Leadership is not just a title or role placed upon us; a leader’s capabilities consists of passion, motivation, skills, traits, qualities, experiences, and choices that help improve the lives of the people around them.

My Philosophy of

“You can’t do anything in business without followers” (HBR), therefore the relationship between the two must be well understood to be an effective leader. Although there has been little research into the topic of followership, it is the follower who often contributes directly to organizational success; and it is the leader who needs to create engaged, fulfilled followers to help achieve team or organizational goals. “Every great leader had to be a great follower to succeed” (Northouse). A good leader should recognize the importance of their followers because all leaders have leaders of their own, and know that the ability to relate to other’s is vital when in a leadership position. The quote “Attitude reflects leadership” from the movie Remember the Titans is 100% accurate because how motivated and productive one’s followers are directly gauges his/her leadership