In this essay, I will compare and contrast followership and servant leadership. To lead effectively one must be able to serve as well as follow. The two have different views but are also similar in ways. This essay will discuss how each one pertains to leadership and the different attributes each style brings. The Army is a form of serving the Nation and the people within it. In the Army, it is imperative to follow to accomplish the mission. To understand the similarities and differences between the two there must be understanding.
What exactly is good followership?
Followership is how well one can follow. Independence and critical thinking are attributes of effective followers. An effective follower will listen to the leader and learn from what they have to say. They can obtain the right information to complete the task without being told to do so. They can persuade by understanding the needs of all those around them (Corrothers, 2009). An effective follower is the type of follower that can think independently and critically.
They see something that needs to be done and they do it without direction. All and all the effective follower makes every effort to show intelligence, self-confidence, and excitement to any task that is being accomplished. The servant leader is similar to an effective follower in many ways.
The servant leader is one who has been a servant first. Similar to the effective follower a servant leader is someone who can listen. The Servant leader listens to others, whether they are someone who is leading them or someone who is following them.
The servant leader can also be persuasive like an effective follower. They utilize this characteristic in the same way. Similar to the critical thinking of an effective follower, the servant leader can conceptualize it (Servant Leadership, en.d.). This means they try to think beyond what is in front of them. The servant leader and the effective follower both portray great characteristics for leading. There are similarities between the two, but there are also differences.
The servant leader is empathetic. Being a servant leader helps in being humble and making it easier to empathize with subordinates. They try to provide healing within their relationships with the people they lead. They put the needs of others before their own through stewardship. However, an effective follower strives to do the right thing even when no one is looking. The effective follower is also not afraid to speak out when they feel that leadership is doing something wrong. Though the effective leader and servant leader have differences, each attribute is important for the overall leader.
In conclusion, a leader does not need to choose one or the other to lead effectively. A leader who is a good follower, as well as a servant, will have those that will want to follow them. Both servant leaders and effective followers bring a lot to being an overall good leader. In the Army, everyone serves the Nation, as well as follows leaders within it. The best of both attributes can and will shine through each Soldier that utilizes them.
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