Hersey et al. (1996) suggest that “followership” is the flip side of leadership. Followers are described as vital because they accept or reject the leader and determine the leader’s personal power (Alwazzan 2017). The interaction between followers and leaders is central because it occurs on a multitude of levels, and therefore followers should be considered when trying to define or understand leadership (Marion and Uhl‐Bien 2001; Kellerman 2012; Raffo 2013; Malakyan 2014; Uhl‐Bien et al. 2014; Smith‐Trudeau 2017; Hanks 2020). Therefore, the leader’s success is very much depends upon the attributes of the followers, with Grint (2000, p. 133) adding that followers make the leader and that “it only requires the good follower to do nothing for leadership to fail.” As such, understanding followership is vital if leaders are to understand their role and responsibilities as leaders. It is proposed that leaders cannot function without followers, who act as their eyes and ears and moral compass (in the business world this may even involve customers, and in the health arena must include clients and patients). Leaders cannot achieve much without the “permission” of followers. Leaders often get the praise for the work followers do, and leaders should be aware that much of the credit that rests on their shoulders was first carried on the shoulders of their followers. As Crossman and Crossman (2011) point out, definitions of followership are heavily linked to definitions of leadership. More recent words such as “collaborators,” “partners,” “participants” and even “constituents” are used to describe the changing relationship of followers to leaders (Uhl‐Bien 2006). Definitions commonly focus on a dependent leader–follower relationship or a process in which “subordinates” recognise their responsibilities to those in authority or with recognised leadership roles. Most definitions focus on a hierarchical relationship, although a few focus on the interactive nature of the follower–leader relationship (Penny 2017), with followers seen as enthusiastic, active, cooperative and engaged as partners in the leader–follower relationship rather than passive “subordinates” waiting to be told what to do. Carsten et al. (2010, p. 559) view followership as “a role in which followers have the ability to influence leaders and contribute to the improvement and attainment of group and organisational objectives. It is primarily a hierarchically upward influence.” Followers’ responsibilities are no less important than those of leaders. Follower responsibilities include: Kellerman (2012) and Malakyan (2014) suggest that in recent years the balance of power has shifted in favour of the followers. Leadership studies and leadership training have commonly neglected the role and place of followers in supporting leadership (Kellerman 2012; Raffo 2013; Malakyan 2014). Even good leaders can be led into making poor decisions and towards ineffective leadership patterns by the actions of empowered and strong followers. Potentially worse, and more often, leaders may be hoodwinked by followers who fool leaders with flattery or hinder them with false realities. The following case is offered as an example of the impact of poor followership. To guard against the influence of ineffective or disruptive followers, leaders need support people who can relay bad news and who can communicate and act on a solid set of values. Leaders also need to encourage open debate and discourse so that they are not protected or insulated from those they lead (Offermann 2005; Penny 2017). To be effective, followers are required to have the confidence and courage to offer unwelcome advice or information, if required, because leaders require the best and most relevant information if they are to make clear and accurate decisions. Being a follower is not about following, sheep‐like, in the wake of a leader because they have authority or because they have been appointed to lead, nor is it about abdicating responsibility and waiting passively for the problems about you to be solved. Followers should be deeply involved in the fabric of an organisation/ward or team and participate by actively engaging with the tasks and duties, decisions and direction under consideration. Effective followership prepares people to be effective leaders (Raffo 2013; Malakyan 2014). Followers should seriously consider questions about their responsibilities to the organisation and leader and be willing to honestly question their capacity to effectively follow before undertaking a followership role. Followers should think about:
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Followership
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Defining Followership
10.3 Follower Responsibilities
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