Chapter 12 Questions
- What is followership?
Followership is a process in which one or more individuals join together, under the power of the another, for a common goal.This is the only real formal definition of followership since there is limited research in the field of followership.
- Why does followership have negative connotations?
The theory of followership typically has negative connotations because most people are raised to want to the be the leader. People want to know what people do with power, instead of how they react and follow it. Followership also does not usually have very compelling stories to inspire others to follow.
- What is the ethical dimension of followership?
Followers hold the ability to follow one current power. If the action being requested is against the followers morals then it is their responsibility to push back and respond accordingly. A bad leader is only as strong as the amount of followers it has, and it is the job of a follower to recognize what is right from wrong in terms of leadership.
- Distinguish between role-based and relational-based perspectives of followership.
- Role- based leadership:focuses on the roles and behaviors a follower has in their position of the hierarchical system. For example, they way someone responds to a change in power or even in a weekly meeting can be categorized as role based leadership.
- Relational- based leadership: examines the interpersonal relationship between the followers and the leaders. It also deals with the mutual exchange of power in the leader-follower relationship. The leader accepts the amount of power to lead, and the follower accept the power to be led.
- What is a typology?
Typology is usually a type of chart that is composed of different categories of leadership. It’s purpose is to create an accurate class system to judge people fairly.
- Describe the two axes of the Zaleznik Follower Typology. What do they measure?
The axis range from passivity to activity and dominance to submission. They measure how one interacts with either leaders or subordinates. It touches on subordinates conflicts and communication breakdowns.
- Describe the two axes of the Kelley Follower Typology. What do they measure?
The two axes include the range of passive to active and independent (critical thinking) to dependent (uncritical thinking). This typology measures the motivation of the followers.
- How does Chaleff’s Follower Typology differ from Zaleznik’s and Kelley’s?
Challeff suggests that followers also serve a common purpose and directly work to accomplish the goal.He also notes that followers should be more courageous.
- Explain the five levels of engagement in Kellerman’s Follower Typology.
- Isolate: detached from the group, and do not care about the leader
- Bystander: does not participate in the conversation, or take action when necessary.
- Participant: fully involved with the leader, and willing to stand up when something isn’t right
- Activist: Very independent and only work for their own beliefs instead of the readers.
- Diehard: A follower that closely follows the leader, even to a fault.
- Explain the relationship between the variables in Table 12.2.
- Alienated: negative, and only think for themselves
- Exemplary: offer criticism and work with the leader
- Passive: look at leader for all direction
- Conformists: trust the leader to a fault, need leader for all direction and motivation
- What is the “reversing the lens” approach to studying followership?
Reversing the lens suggests the theory that the followers can actually affect the leaders. Followers allow bad leaders to lead if there is not the right communication between them.
- How is leadership cocreated, according to Uhl-Bien and her colleagues?
Leadership is co-created by the exchange of power, and the relationship that is built. One cannot take power if others do not accept it, and the followers set limits to just how much this leader can lead.
- How can followers effectively challenge leaders?
Followers can challenge leaders by questioning their moral and intentions. Besides blindly following the leader, they can push the status quo and push the leader to do something greater.
- How does unhealthy followership occur, according to Lipman-Blumen?
Unhealthy leadership occurs when the power is not distributed correctly, or the leader does not have a goal for the common good.