Research Paper on Followership
Research Paper on Followership
Brian Duncan
BUSI 310
4 May 2011
Dr. Mark Ellis
Abstract
Followership is extremely important to the success of a corporation. Although leadership plays an important role, one should always remember that a leader needs someone to lead. This paper will take a brief look at what leadership is, what followership is, the important of trust, and how we can improve our ability to follow. In addition, the topic of Christians as followers will be discussed.
Research Paper on Followership
Followership is one of the most important roles inside an organization. The following discussion aims to educate the reader on the importance of followership and how to become a better follower. It is important first to understand that followership cannot exist without leadership and trust.
Understanding leadership is important because it has a close relationship to followership. A leader cannot be a leader without followers. Likewise, a follower cannot be a follower without a leader. It is important to note, however, that leadership is more than just making decisions or being the head of something. Effective leadership requires certain traits and characteristics.
Mary Frances Lyon, in her article Leadership and Followership. American College of Physician Executives, outlines a few critical traits of a leader. She states that a leader must project a vision, be a team builder, think strategically, understand systems, and be capable of reading market forces (Lyon, 2002, p. 1).
Of course, there are many other traits that desirable in a leader such as the ability to manage, the ability to inspire, and the ability to tolerate diversity. Even with all these traits, however, leaders can easily go astray. The story of the emperor who bought invisible clothing is “often used to illustrate how leaders can go astray” (Solovy, 2005, p. 1). Perhaps one of the biggest faults of the emperor in this story is that he has created an environment in which
Brian Duncan
BUSI 310
4 May 2011
Dr. Mark Ellis
Abstract
Followership is extremely important to the success of a corporation. Although leadership plays an important role, one should always remember that a leader needs someone to lead. This paper will take a brief look at what leadership is, what followership is, the important of trust, and how we can improve our ability to follow. In addition, the topic of Christians as followers will be discussed.
Research Paper on Followership
Followership is one of the most important roles inside an organization. The following discussion aims to educate the reader on the importance of followership and how to become a better follower. It is important first to understand that followership cannot exist without leadership and trust.
Understanding leadership is important because it has a close relationship to followership. A leader cannot be a leader without followers. Likewise, a follower cannot be a follower without a leader. It is important to note, however, that leadership is more than just making decisions or being the head of something. Effective leadership requires certain traits and characteristics.
Mary Frances Lyon, in her article Leadership and Followership. American College of Physician Executives, outlines a few critical traits of a leader. She states that a leader must project a vision, be a team builder, think strategically, understand systems, and be capable of reading market forces (Lyon, 2002, p. 1).
Of course, there are many other traits that desirable in a leader such as the ability to manage, the ability to inspire, and the ability to tolerate diversity. Even with all these traits, however, leaders can easily go astray. The story of the emperor who bought invisible clothing is “often used to illustrate how leaders can go astray” (Solovy, 2005, p. 1). Perhaps one of the biggest faults of the emperor in this story is that he has created an environment in which
References: Solovy, A. (2005). Followership. H&HN: Hospitals & Health Networks, 79(5), 32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Lyons, Mary Frances (2002). Leadership and Followership. American College of Physician Executives. Retrieved from http://rx9vh3hy4r.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Leadership+and+followership&rft.jtitle=Physician+executive&rft.au=Lyons%2C+Mary+Frances&rft.date=2002-01-01&rft.issn=0898-2759&rft.volume=28&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=91&rft.externalDocID=11806240 Hall, P., & Densten, I. L. (2002). Following Successfully: Followership and Technology Adoption. Prometheus, 20(2), 87-105. doi:10.1080/08109020210137484 Hertig, J. (2010). New practitioners forum. Followership: nontraditional leadership roles for new practitioners. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 67(17), 1412-1413. doi:10.2146/ajhp090535 Allen, L.. (2009). TRUST. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, 13(4), 268. Retrieved May 12, 2011, from ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source. (Document ID: 1860203541).