The theory of leadership states that leaders are made, not born. Fortunately, leadership is not a gifted thing; rather it is a skill that needs to be earned through education, experimentation and hard work. To experience the taste of success being an excellent leader, individuals should always be willing to learn and practice new things.
To be a leader, one needs to have a clear understanding of what s/he actually is, what does s/he knows, and what can s/he accomplish. It is the followers who decide whether the leader is successful or not. Therefore, it is very important for leaders to develop an extraordinary personality and the capability of convincing others that they are worthy of being followed. To convince the followers, it is essential to gain their trust. The significance of trust in contemporary organizations is extensively acknowledged (Clegg et al., 2002), and it is ever more vital for leaders to provoke trust and faith to encourage the followers (Robbins et al., 2010).
Reference:
Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A. and Campbell, T.T. (2010) Organisational Behavior. Essex: Pearson
Education
Collinson, D. (2005) ‘Dialectics of leadership’, Human Relations, Vol. 58, No. 11, pp. 1419-1442.
To be a leader, one needs to have a clear understanding of what s/he actually is, what does s/he knows, and what can s/he accomplish. It is the followers who decide whether the leader is successful or not. Therefore, it is very important for leaders to develop an extraordinary personality and the capability of convincing others that they are worthy of being followed. To convince the followers, it is essential to gain their trust. The significance of trust in contemporary organizations is extensively acknowledged (Clegg et al., 2002), and it is ever more vital for leaders to provoke trust and faith to encourage the followers (Robbins et al., 2010).
Role of followers in establishing a successful leadership profile
Followers play a crucial role in establishing a successful leadership profile. According to Collinson (2005), followership is the spirit of leadership, which means that today’s leadership styles should be corresponding to the individuality and distinctiveness of the followers. Different individuals tend to adapt with different leadership styles. For example, a soldier who works in the force is less likely to adapt with the contemporary leadership styles that are widely being practiced in most of the business organizations. Leaders need to have a good understanding of fundamental human nature. They must know a lot about their subordinates. They should be able to figure out what motivates them to outperform, who needs more motivation than others, and who needs slightly different approach than the practicing leadership style.
Followers play a crucial role in establishing a successful leadership profile. According to Collinson (2005), followership is the spirit of leadership, which means that today’s leadership styles should be corresponding to the individuality and distinctiveness of the followers. Different individuals tend to adapt with different leadership styles. For example, a soldier who works in the force is less likely to adapt with the contemporary leadership styles that are widely being practiced in most of the business organizations. Leaders need to have a good understanding of fundamental human nature. They must know a lot about their subordinates. They should be able to figure out what motivates them to outperform, who needs more motivation than others, and who needs slightly different approach than the practicing leadership style.
Reference:
Clegg,
C., Unsworth, K., Epitropaki, O. and Parker, G. (2002) ‘Implicating trust in
the innovation process’, Journal of Organizational and Occupational Psychology,
Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 409-422.
Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A. and Campbell, T.T. (2010) Organisational Behavior. Essex: Pearson
Education
Collinson, D. (2005) ‘Dialectics of leadership’, Human Relations, Vol. 58, No. 11, pp. 1419-1442.