They are not forced to only do what others in the company want.
That is a big problem with followers, as well - they feel as though they cannot do anything on their own and/or that their interests are not valuable to the company. Some of these people have great ideas, but if no one listens to them it becomes very hard for them to keep their interest in working for the company or organization. When they see that their voices matter, they remain interested in what is taking place. If the leader they report to makes them feel welcome and appreciates their ideas, there is a growth period that can take place. It can be much more valuable than just having a leader who orders followers around. The leader and the followers, says Bennis (2003) should be a true team.
Things that get done in a company should be a group effort, not just one person giving orders and the other people blindly following behind because they do not know what else to do. Most companies have become these 'blind leading the blind' types of organizations today, though, and until that is changed the corporate culture of the business world - and, by extension, what the companies give to their customers - will not be what it should and what would be most valuable for everyone involved. For Both Bennis (2003) and Gardner (1990), what makes a person a true leader and what companies use to choose their leaders are far from the same thing - and it is hurting everyone.
The qualities that are being lauded and applauded are not the qualities that really matter. Because of that, some of the best qualities of true leaders are being shoved under the rug and ignored, which helps no one. In order to avoid that, says Bennis (2003), things have to change. The change, however, cannot really come from corporations and big businesses that do not know any better. The change must come from the leaders themselves. They must desire to be different, and to get back to leading in a way that really matters. So many of the leaders of today, and of the past, have had great management skills...
The leader can often sense that something is not quite right, but he does not really know what is wrong. People like Bennis (2003) work to show these kinds of leaders what the problem is, because there are some who really do want to correct these kinds of problems and improve their companies. When leaders and followers start to band together and affect change in their companies and organizations, leadership dynamics will be far different than they are now - and they will be much improved. As more leaders read books like the one by Bennis (2003), they will realize the potential that they have to change themselves, their followers, and their entire organization.
As that spreads out into other companies and leaders network with other leaders, they can all be encouraged to be the change that they wish to see. There is no logical way to see this realized in every organization, but Bennis (2003) makes a strong argument for the value of leaders acting like human beings who have both strengths and weaknesses. If leaders do this more consistently - and being consistent is an important key point - their followers will develop a strong degree of trust for them (Bennis, 2003). When trust is there, almost anything else can be accomplished. When trust is lacking, though, very little will get done. Followers are not interested in following a leader who they cannot trust, and leaders who do not trust themselves are very ineffective. Trust is a simple, basic concept, but it is one that too many people ignore - at their peril, according to Bennis (2003). For the dynamics of leadership to improve, leaders must make themselves accountable, accessible, and trustworthy in the eyes of their followers.
Bibliography
Bennis, W. (2003). On Becoming a Leader. Massachusetts: Perseus Publishing.
Gardner,…
