Running Head: Followership Vs. Servant Leadership

In this essay, we will compare and contrast the difference between Servant leadership and followership. The only difference between the two is the position in which the individual is in and the effect or impact they have. Everyone in some way, shape, or form has experienced both good and bad leadership, there are examples scattered all throughout history. A good leader knows his or her own flaws along with their strengths as well. A good leader knows how to make the hard decisions all the while taking other people and the overall effect it will have on them into consideration.

There are two main types of followers the first being “independent critical thinking”. In this are two subcategories the alienated follower and the effective leader. The alienated follower is able to think critically but in a negative way. Effective followers are able to communicate, empathize, and are able to use critical thinking to improve any given situation. The second type of follower is the “dependent un-critical thinking”. The two subcategories within this are the sheep and yes-people. The sheep do not think critically nor do they try to improve the given situation. Yes-people follow even when it is not in their best interest.

Servant Leadership is a servant first. Some often misconstrued that as being a follower. Servant leadership focuses on leadership from the point of view of the leader’s behavior. A servant leader is able to effectively listen, empathize, is able to use common sense, and work to accomplish the task. The servant-leader simply exists to serve the people rather than having individuals working to serve the leader.

There are very minute differences between being a servant leader and a follower. Both effective servant leaders and followers share the same traits and characteristics. It is all about understanding where we as an individual fall into the spectrum. Some people are great followers however when put into a leadership position they do not perform the same. Everyone is a follower in some form whether it be as a leader to our superior or a follower to our leader. Being an effective servant leader or follower takes both time and experience to truly master.

Reference

1. Jonathan Sandling (2 July 2014)
2. Retrieved from https://jonathansandling.com/ten-principles-servant-leadership/

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