Being A Follower, Part 2

This is Part 2 of my posts inspired by the new release by Evanescence, “Who Will You Follow.” This great song made me think and reflect deeply on what it means to both be a follower and influencer of followers. Being A Follower, Part 1 explored being a follower. There is signify research pointing to the contributions of followers to leadership and organizational success. These studies, such as Uhl-Bien, M., Riggio, R. E., Lowe, K. B., Carsten, M. K. (2014) “Followership theory: A review and research agenda”, conceptualize and demonstrate followers as relevant co-producers or co-constructors of leadership and its outcomes.

Now, let’s talk about the leader’s role in this relationship. In “Who Will You Follow” Amy Lee sings, “What have you done to me?; You drain the life out of me ’til I don’t know myself; When all your faith in reality fades away; Who will you follow then?” Ever worked with a leader who drains the life out of you? Ever felt like there are leaders who drain the life out of us? As a constructionist, I believe there is a co-construction or leadership process approach to followership in which individuals mutually interact and engage in social and relational contexts to construct (or not construct) leadership and followership. These relationships do not necessarily align with formal hierarchical roles. Relationships matter here.

Great leaders understand the importance of humility and recognizing the value of other perspectives, which aligns with qualities of a good follower. In their research, they suggest that leadership and followership are interconnected roles within a dynamic system, where good followers contribute to successful leadership by providing support, constructive feedback, and a shared vision. This perspective fosters a culture of mutual respect and continuous learning, showing that being a follower at times is essential for effective leadership. Who will you follow?

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