Followership under the spotlight: implications for followership development

Bufalino, Giambattista

doi:10.1108/ict-04-2017-0028

Cited by 19 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Given these and other scholarly findings that followers are larger contributors to organizational outcomes than previously believed (Bufalino, 2018; Carsten et al , 2010; Uhl-Bien et al , 2014), it stands to reason that follower development should be as important to organizations as leader development. As described below, one government agency embraced this concept as it sought to enhance employee empowerment and role in decision-making by developing follower skills.…”

Section: The Emergence Of Followership Developmentmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…As noted earlier, in every day interaction, leading and following are fluid states impacted by situational realities similar to those expressed in the contingency theory (Bass, 2008; Northouse, 2013; Yukl, 2010). In other words, people often take on a leader or follower role as the situation dictates (Carsten et al , 2014; Bufalino, 2018; Stech, 2008). Additionally, scholars have found that appointed leaders in an organization typically serve as followers of senior leaders, corporate boards or even have instances of following someone more junior in the hierarchy (Baker et al , 2014; Bjugstad et al , 2006; Morris, 2014).…”

Section: Incorporating Followership Into a Leadership Development Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A decade of teaching followership: retrospective and guide

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2020

ICT

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of incorporating the tenants of followership into leadership curriculums as a means of increasing employee engagement in the organization’s mission. Design/methodology/approach Five years ago, the author reported on the impact instruction in followership had in helping a government agency achieve a significant change in workplace culture. This paper provides an update on the agency’s followership instruction, insights on how development of followership skills can enhance organizational agility, collaboration and engagement and strategies for incorporating followership into a leadership development curriculum. Findings The literature suggests that followers can partner with the leader to advance organizational objectives and enhance outcomes through proactive participation. Evidence from three followership programs suggests that indoctrination in followership principles leads to better understanding of the impact follower contributions play in achieving mission-related goals. Research limitations/implications Much of today’s leadership instruction leverages industrial-age concepts on treatment of followers in the workplace. This type of instruction limits leader/manager thinking on how to best leverage the knowledge-age talents resident in the workforce. This paper suggests that followership instruction increases the potential for followers to make meaningful contributions that enhance organizational agility and competitiveness while simultaneously improving leader strategies for engaging followers. Originality/value Instruction in the principles of followership is gaining momentum in academia and in the public and private sectors. Yet, the number of resources for teaching the subject is limited. This paper provides insights into the impact of teaching followership, suggestions on structuring a followership curriculum and recommends resources for creating meaningful instruction.

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Section: The Emergence Of Followership Developmentmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Incorporating Followership Into a Leadership Development Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

A decade of teaching followership: retrospective and guide

Read

2020

ICT

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“…Considering "the cult of leadership" (Manning and Robertson, 2016), embedding followership training within leader development may appear leader-centric (Oc and Bashshur, 2013). However, if Bufalino's (2018) vision of followership becoming mainstream is the goal, this approach is strategic as it leverages wellestablished leader-development activities.…”

Section: Coaching/mentoringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the conclusion, recommendations for developing followership are offered. Meeting Bufalino's (2018) goal for followership development to be embedded in leadership programs, all recommendations were designed to be part of existing leadertraining activities. The proceeding section explains how IFTs, gender-role stereotypes and transformational leadership support the connections between female caregiving and beliefs about followers.…”

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confidence: 99%

“Mommy and Me”: raising implicit followership theories

Hoption

Han

2021

ICT

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents to implicit followership theories (IFTs) and make recommendations for developing positive IFTs. Female transformational parenting is highlighted, showing that although followership is typically associated with one’s role in an organization, its development is not relegated to that context. Accordingly, this paper encourages transformational-parenting training and features activities for current leader-training programs to enlighten trainees about their IFTs. Design/methodology/approach Through one online and one paper survey, participants self-defined “follower,” rated their female primary caregivers’ transformational leadership during adolescence, reported their IFTs and provided demographic information. Findings Qualitative and quantitative data analyses found that the degree to which female primary caregivers demonstrated transformational leadership related to children’s positive IFTs and positive definitions about followers in young adulthood. Research limitations/implications Future research should test female caregivers’ influence on IFTs at more advanced stages of one’s career, examine their influence over participants’ followership behavior and incorporate external ratings of leadership and followership. Practical implications Recommendations for embedding IFTs into transformational-leadership-training programs are provided, falling into the categories of feedback, reflection/introspection and mentoring/coaching. In the spirit of contemporary approaches to leadership, recommendations require trainees to recognize their biases/knowledge of followers and followership and use that knowledge to facilitate collaboration between leaders and followers. Originality/value Findings spotlight female leadership, an often-overlooked source of power in organizations, and go beyond leader/follower dichotomies by insisting on IFTs awareness and development for both parties.

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“…treating followership as having equal value to leadership; focusing on followership development through training and mentoring ;and measuring learned followership skills (Bufalino, 2018;Hurwitz and Hurwitz, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thriving in the future: intentional followership development

Grant

Willsie

Gupta

2020

ICT

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the significance of the role of followership by raising self-awareness of those in organisational hierarchies through the followership intelligence activity. As practitioners, we intentionally spotlight the importance of followership learning and link followership development to the future needs of a thriving organisation through the facilitation of our activity. Design/methodology/approach This paper outlines the proposed followership intelligence activity (FIA), which includes a progression of questions, group discussions and linkages to adult learning principles, experiential learning and followership theory. Findings Feedback from authors’ workshops and general observations indicate that once “learning” leaders understand the importance of followership and identify as both followers and leaders, they begin to build and promote work environments open to conversations about the behaviours and skills of exemplary followers. Practical implications People cannot change behaviour that they do not notice. However, when leaders begin to identify as both leaders and followers, their openness to learning, developing (self and others) and having followership conversations increases, which promotes both personal awareness and growth. As leaders model and create conversations about exemplary followership skills, they can promote and inspire these behaviours in others within the organisation. Originality/value The intention of embedding the FIA into our leadership development programme is to legitimise, honour and promote life-long learning of both leadership and followership. Both roles are vital for a thriving workplace, and they need to be performed with strength, accountability and pride.

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Followership under the spotlight: implications for followership development

Cited by 19 publications

References 28 publications

A decade of teaching followership: retrospective and guide

A decade of teaching followership: retrospective and guide

“Mommy and Me”: raising implicit followership theories

Thriving in the future: intentional followership development

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