My results of the Followership Style Test are described as mixed (2.9) that is somewhere between very autocratic and very democratic style. I think that these results are rather predictable because I cannot still define what is closer to me and my skills: be a follower, who is constantly waiting for new orders and guidelines because of lack of knowledge and experience or be a leader, whose professional potential allows to cope with challenges and to assist the other to follow my example. Some researches show that “leadership is an observable, learnable set of practices” (Shaw, 2007, p.31), and I truly believe that it is never too late to train the necessary skills and become a successful leader in nursing. However, at the same time, it is known that “being a ‘good’ follower takes special talents” (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 39) as well, so it is wrong to think that if you are not ready to become a leader, you have all chances to become a follower.
According to the score obtained and the information learned, the role of a leader is still available for me. Leaders usually want to achieve perfection and integrity within everything (Ebersole, Hess, & Luggen, 2004). When you are a follower, you need to comprehend the essence of follower-leader relations; and when you are a leader, you need to be ready to grasp the basics of relations between followers and follower-leader relations to be able to improve the situation if necessary and help the others not to make mistake and to realize the importance of the case. Talking about these types of relations, it is necessary to admit that “leadership requires the presence of followers” (Huber, 2006, p. 24), and proper followership is impossible without effective leadership. The results achieved proved my understanding of these relations and show that my background knowledge is not enough to become a good leader but is already appropriate to take the position of the follower and performs the necessary duties on the expected level.
The role of a follower has its positive and negative sides. Though a follower is bound by certain duties and responsibilities before the leader, this position has its own unique and captivating traits. It becomes clearer that followers may be of different types: exemplary followers differ from the others due to their critical approaches and skills that are used to improve the sphere of nursing; yes followers require constant support of the leader, who can show the right way, and aim at pleasing the leader all the time; and alienated followers are characterized by hostile attitude to work and the necessity to criticize the work all the time.
In comparison to followers, leaders need to meet other needs and have some other traits. They have to enlarge their level of knowledge all the time, be ready to make decisions, take risks, and at the same time be responsible for every event. Such traits have to be trained with time, and the results of the test assure me about the possibility to develop my skills and knowledge.
The Bill of Rights informs that nurses face considerable challenges in their work: the proper development of the relations that take place between nurses and those, who receive nursing care; differences of environment, where professional standards have to be considered; abilities to protect themselves without the possible threat of retribution. This document is valuable because it describes how safe and comfortable working conditions for nurses both followers and leaders can be.
Reference List
Ebersole, P., Hess, P.A., & Luggen, A.S. (2004). Toward Healthy Aging: Human Needs and Nursing Response. St. Louis: Mosby Inc.
Grossman, S. C., & Valiga, T. M. (2009). The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company.
Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and Nursing Care Management. Pennsylvania, Ph.: Elsevier Health Sciences
Shaw, S. (2007). International Council of Nurses: Nursing Leadership. Malden: Blackwell Publishing Inc.