Biz lead Waleed
Assignments :
build creatively on the view below by showing in depth intelligent critique of theory or practice,add an international or cultural aspect, show originality in the application of theory and clarify the theory being studied. and provide real examples

Submission;
Introduction – The paper analyzes the significance of the relationship between followership in relation to the concept of leadership and then examines the benefits associated with followership by taking into consideration the discussion in the article ‘Leadership, followership and evolution’.

When we analyze the concept of followership in relation to leadership and its emergence it can be derived ‘that leader-follower patterns will emerge more quickly and effectively in circumstances that mirror adaptive problems’ (Vugt et al, 2008). In other words when there is a need for survival on the part of the group and its entities they sought to leadership as a means of deriving solution to their problems and as a decision making authority who can guide the individuals.

Concept of followership in relation to leadership

The understanding of the leader-follower relation rests in looking at it as ‘a two way influence relationship’ and that which exhibits ‘implicit exchange relationship’ (Cox et al, 2010), which means that the two concepts are interdependent and have some kind of interaction in their mutual existence. On the contrary another understanding that we can gain from such an analysis is that ‘the followers must be willing and able to be inspired and be led’ (Jerry & Robert, 2013) there is some amount of acceptance by the follower in relation to who is a leader and only then this mutual exchange between the two entities will be possible. Furthermore, ‘an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes’( Jerry & Robert, 2013) so, this means that the followers will be willing to follow a leader if and only there is consensus in relation to the goals of what the leader has perceived and the followers are willing to accept.

The transformational approach to leadership emphasizes the means of bringing about change by empowering followers, being role models, evolving a vision, being ‘social architects’ (Northouse, 2013) and making it effective to work in a team. While transactional leadership orients the followers to task oriented goals, transactional leadership goes a step further and provides ‘intrinsic motivation and follower development’ in order to ‘change people’ change here means a holistic concept involving various aspects. (Northouse, 2013) A transformational leader is sensitive about the followers needs and influences them to achieve more than what is required. Leaders exhibit the role of finding motives in relation to the followers so that both entities, the leader and followers can fulfill goals in a concerted mutual effort. Furthermore, while transactional leadership concentrates on the exchanges that take place between the leader and followers, transformational leadership motivates the other and increases ‘motivation and morality’ for both the entities in the relationship. (Northouse, 2013)

Benefits of followership

When we analyze the reason as to why the followers are willing to follow the leader there are many reasons some of them are listed below –

· Followers try to optimally benefit from a bad situation and follow the leader since they are aware that the leader can relieve them from the bad situation or the anticipated problem better than them.
· When the follower engages in a self analysis of being a leader as against the other person one may realize that the benefits associated in the other being a leader is much greater than one self being a leader and therefore end up willfully following the leader.
· Followers also realize the fact that there are certain co-ordination benefits that can receive by following the leader whereby consequently the followers as a collective may have better bargaining power due to the strength of the leader in guiding and leading the followers.
· Finally the follower may realize that they have higher aggregate level payoffs as compared to others who follow other leaders and feel that they are better off than other groups due to the extensive belief that the leader is leading effectively than the other counter parts, thereby increasing the status of the follower by being under that particular leader.

Though there are so many points attributed towards the benefits that the follower receives in following the leader, in reality if these are weighed against the benefits that the leader gains in comparison to the followers end up being much greater. (Vugt et al, 2008)

Conclusion – the above discussion definitely reveals the fact that the prominence of a leader is not being so much a leader but rather having people to follow oneself and accept them as a leader is what makes them an effective leader and this is possible if the leader is able to draw mutual consensus in relation to the goals that they put forward and be accepted by the followers, thereby consequently strengthening the leader-follower relationship. Furthermore, either for achieving or being a transformational or transactional leader, there is an important need for the leader to establish a positive relation with the followers. Finally the mystery in relation to why individuals are willing to follow lies in various reasons such as positive benefits for the follower and thereby brings meaning to the leader-follower relationship. Therefore leadership becomes meaningful only when there are followers.

References

Cox, III, Raymond W.; Plagens, Gregory K.; Sylla, Keba. (2010) ‘ The leadership- followership Dynamic: Making the choice to follow’ International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. , Vol. 5 Issue 8, p37-5 [Online] Available from – http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=eb2bbc9c-5759-445e-a772-ca355dea5e1c%40sessionmgr114&vid=3&hid=107 (Accessed on 4/7/2013)

Jerry II, Robert H. (2013) ‘ Leadership and Followership’ University of Toledo Law Review. , Vol. 44 Issue 2, p345-354 [Online] Available from – http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=2dc1572e-cd4f-4389-9383-f0c29da09a09%40sessionmgr114&vid=3&hid=105 (Accessed on 4/7/2013)

Van Vugt, M., Hogan, R. & Kaiser, R.B. (2008) ‘Leadership, followership, and evolution: some lessons from the past’, American Psychologist, 63 (3), pp.182-196, [Online]. Available from: http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/lpu?title=american+psychologist&volume=63&issue=3&spage=182&date=2008 (Accessed on 30/6/2013)

Northouse, P.G. (2013) Leadership: theory and practice. 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.

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