There is a growing body of work that makes clear that some followers can be more influential than others.
Followership Styles
Kelley (1998) identifies two ways that people follow:
- Do they think for themselves? Are they independent critical thinkers? Or do they look to the leader to do the thinking for them?
- Are they actively engaged in creating positive energy for the organization? Or is there negative energy or passive involvement?
Authentic followership
If we say that we want out followers to be effective, what kind of characteristics do these followers have? Avolio and Reichard (2008) discuss what they call 'authentic' followership, and characterise it with the following features:
- Psychological Ownership - Sense of ownership, taking responsibility, going beyond the minimum to do what is required
- Trust - Admitting mistakes and encouraging their leaders to do the same, taking on challenges without being asked
- Transparency - Honesty, feedback and effective communication, putting the needs of the group above their own concerns
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