Leadership and Followership Concepts

Relationship between Leadership and Followership

• Leadership and followership are interconnected; one cannot exist without the other.
• Effective leadership involves understanding the follower's commitment, motivation, and self-worth.

Key Concepts of Leadership

1. Followership:

   • Act of supporting and following leaders; characterized by loyalty and cooperation.
   • Includes varying expectations based on followers' backgrounds.
   • Leaders should adapt their styles as situations demand.

2. Postmodernism:

   • Challenges traditional views on truth and authority, promoting multiple perspectives and inclusivity.
   • Encourages egalitarian approaches in leadership.

3. Leadership and Power:

   • Leadership is about influencing others to achieve shared goals.
   • Power can come from various sources (formal authority, charisma)
   • Distinction between power (influence) and authority (formal position).

Emotional Intelligence (EI) in Leadership

• EI plays a significant role in effective leadership.
• Leaders must understand and manage their emotions and those of their followers.

Types of Power in Leadership (French and Raven)

1. Expert Power: Based on the leader's knowledge.
2. Referent Power: Comes from strong relationships between leader and follower.
3. Legitimate Power: Derives from official authority.
4. Reward Power: Involves controlling desired resources.
5. Coercive Power: Based on punitive measures.
6. Information Power: Comes from possessing valuable information.

Leadership Dynamics

• Leaders often adopt different styles based on the situation and the nature of their followers.
• New challenges in leadership arise from global competition, technological advancements, and changing workforce expectations.

Self-Reflection in Leadership

• Critical for leaders to engage in self-reflection to improve their practices.
• Reflection helps in understanding actions and their impacts on others; shifting focus from the past to future improvements is beneficial.