The concepts of leadership and followership are closely related and interdependent. Even though most attention is traditionally paid to discussing leadership positions, one cannot have leaders without followers. In this regard, followership can be compared to a building’s foundation since the effects that followers have on a company are usually imperceptible but, at the same time, fundamental. According to Obolensky (2016), “the way a leader acts will program the way that followers operate; and vice versa” (p. 160). Moreover, Stern (2020) argues that “in every professional or political role in …, there is a mixture of leadership and followership” (p. 3). In an educational organization, followership is just as essential for an organization as leadership, and a university can benefit from an effective combination of both.
In the context of managing individual performance that, in turn, will influence the organization’s overall efficiency, several methods can be implemented. According to Obolensky (2016), the two ways of considering followership are the skill/will matrix and the Level 5 leadership framework. Furthermore, I can determine areas where the highest stages of these rankings are more effective than others, such as organizations operating in highly competitive markets. Due to the hectic environment and pace of work, a company would benefit from having “influencers,” or Level Five followers, and employees in high skill/high will state. Besides, people with such behaviors would also be useful in fields where initiative is valued more than mundane work, and quick decision-making is essential. For instance, design, marketing, HR, education, and social care areas require influencers and high skill/high will individuals since they imply the need for taking charge of a situation, frequently, prior to the top management’s approvement.
Given the importance of effective followership, it is crucial to discuss ways of moving people towards Level Five. I would use the skill/will matrix to estimate the current state of an employee and determine the missing elements that prevent the person from reaching the state of the performer. People with high skill/high will behavioral patterns are highly skilled and motivated, which significantly increases their chances of reaching Level Five. As Obolensky (2016) states, another essential strategy is gradually encouraging people to level up, step by step. Even though it takes more time in the long term to move an individual from Level One to Level Five, I would prefer to have better outcomes with a continuous approach, rather than pushing an employee to Level Five immediately. Self-awareness and self-confidence can build up with time, ensuing sustainability in behaviors.
In my current workplace as a student assistant at a university, I can be an effective follower influencing my position. In particular, I can apply independent critical thinking and enhance my collaborative skills to help the organization accomplish its goals eventually. Offering solutions to problems and taking up initiative can help me maintain a sense of autonomy in my job. Meeting deadlines, taking on responsibilities, as well as being proactive and creative can enhance my leadership skills and highlight the importance of efficient followership and high skill/high will state in the academic field. Besides, recognizing and improving my contributions to the organization’s success can be a step toward my appointment for a leadership position.
To summarize, followership and leadership both determine the company’s success, and a combination of these two aspects is needed for high personal and organizational performance. Many positions at a university require efficient decision-making, and for many employees, having the appropriate skills and becoming engaged in the process can help contribute to the company’s performance. Managers can implement the skill/will matrix and Level 5 leadership framework to evaluate the current state of employees and identify the issues and ways for solving them.
References
Obolensky, N. (2016). Complex adaptive leadership. Taylor & Francis.
Stern, J. (2020). Do you follow? Understanding followership before leadership. Management in Education, 20(10), p. 1-4.