Leader-Follower Communication

Qualitative Research Project on Leader-Follower Communication
Abstract
Communication is an essential part of the leader-follower relationship and more important during a crisis. While much of the available communication research has been leader centric, this study sought to determine what followers want from their leaders concerning communication. To help in answering the research question, the paper utilized a qualitative research methodology with interviews as the data collection tool. Three participants working in the state of Florida, who were sampled through convenient sampling, participated in the study. Data were analyzed to determine emerging themes. According to the findings, followers want communication to be through phone calls and emails, be motivating, empowering, and address cultural and personal concerns. This paper, therefore, concludes that, in the communication between leaders and their followers, followers want formal and humane communication, motivation, empowerment, and communication that meet their emotional needs.
Table of Contents
Abstract 1
Introduction 3
Statement of the problem 3
Research objective and question 4
Purpose of the research 4
Outline of the report 4
Literature review 5
Methodology 6
Findings 7
Analysis 8
i. Method of communication 8
ii. Motivation 8
iii. Empowerment 9
iv. Cultural sensitivity 10
Discussion 10
Conclusion 12
References 13
Appendix 14
I. Interview questions 14
Introduction
Communication is a vital ingredient in the relationship between a leader and a follower. Effective communication helps to not only ensure correct information is passed, but it also serves to motivate the follower and promotes a more synchronous leader?follower relationship (Blendea, 2016). Effective communication involves more than just the transmission of a communication, especially in the context of a leader communicating with the follower(s). Communication has even been more important in the current time, as the world battle with the effects of the Corona Virus Pandemic. As the traditional setups between a leader and followers have been disrupted, communication, which has been typically through face?to?face or other physical contact communication modes, has been transformed to be mainly through virtual platforms.
The ability to communicate is one of the vital competencies for a leader, and effective communication serves to, among others, grow the leader?follower relationship. The ability to communicate effectively allows for the realization of both personal and organizational goals. Within an organization, internal communication is an essential element as it plays a role in the motivation of employees, improved performance, and increased customer satisfaction (Mohanty & Mohanty, 2018). The need to motivate employees is even more relevant at the moment as the normal way of life, the in?office interaction, and income as dwindling for most organizations as an effect of the pandemic.
Statement of the problem
Ineffective communication has significantly detrimental effects in the context of an organization. Of the effects is the lack of asynchronous operation between the leadership and the followers. Most research in the recent past has centered on how leaders can improve their communication (Johansson, 2018; Kamales & Knorr, 2019). However, a vital part of the equation is to know what the followers look for in determining communication as being effective. Unfortunately, there is very limited research on what followers are looking for in a leader?follower communication setup.
Research objective and question
The current seeks to determine what followers want from their leaders about communication. What followers want concerning communication from their leaders varies in style, quantity, and type, among others. This is even more relevant in the current COVID19 Pandemic scenario where the traditional methods and modes of communication have been neglected as the workplace has been moved online with virtual meetings, email, and social media messages, and increased phone calls.
To help is the realization of this objective; the research will seek to determine the research question:
· What do followers want from their leaders about communication?
Purpose of the research
This research will have an important role in adding to the information available on what the follower wants in leader?follower communication. The findings and recommendations after the completion of this research will be essential in informing leaders on how to formulate their communications to ensure they are effective from the viewpoint of the follower.
Outline of the report
This report is composed of mainly five parts; introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, and discussion, then a conclusion. The first part, which is presented above, is the introduction. The introduction brings the reader in by presenting what the issue is and why it is a problem that warrants research. The introduction ends with the research objective and the research question. The second part is the literature review, which is a discussion that highlights what has been done in the field and what previous researchers have found on the topic. The methodology part provides a guide on how data for the current study was collected and analyzed. The discussion part seeks to relate the findings in this research with what has been found established by previous researchers. Lastly, the conclusion will make deduction is the research question, make recommendations for leaders, and possible research items for further research.
Literature review
Studies on leadership communication have been mainly centered on the role of the leader, leadership style, and communication methods (Novak, 2012). However, they have begun to realize the vital role that the followers play in ensuring a leader indeed leads, and the ultimate objective of making an organization function as a single unit towards the realization of her mission (Holton, 2014; Novak, 2012). The disproportionate discussion on the role of the leader in communication undermines the vital role of the follower and, in fact, distorts the efforts to understand and contextualize the essence of leader?follower communication. The significance of the follower in the leader?follower communication is shown by the fact that the behavior and attitude of one are sure to affect the relationship and, by consequence, affect communication.
During a crisis, followers are looking to get authoritative information directly from the top leadership. Organizations face several crises, e.g., economic downturns and the current COVID19 Pandemic. During such a time, there are major changes to the team relationships, and organizational life becomes more complex. To wade through a crisis, employees want to hear from the top bosses, and likewise, the top executives want to get feedback directly from the follower (Katiti, 2020; Mazzei et al., 2019). Goncalves (2017) argues that the types of communication that followers are looking for are from the senior management, the CEO, and upward communication, where top management listens to feedback.
Communication is just as critical as the platform used, even though there are variations based on the age bracket for the recipient. While baby boomers will mostly prefer face?to?face communication, millennials are highly flexible as to communicate important messages through social media direct messages (Kootbodien, Prasad & Ali, 2018). This notwithstanding, followers are looking to receive communications through formal methods of communication, especially when such are from the top management. Moreover, such formal methods of communication, e.g., emails, are universal, standard, easy to access and provide a record of future reference.
Based on this review, there is a gap in the information on information specific to the type of crisis presented by the COVID19 pandemic. This research, therefore, will seek to breach this gap by seeking to determine what followers want in communication with the setting, such as presented by the Corona Virus Pandemic.
Methodology
A qualitative research design was used for this research. To gain high-quality firsthand information on what followers want, a qualitative research design is the most appropriate. An interview method was used, where the interviewer interviewed the participants guided by a structured interview questionnaire, attached in appendix I. Study participants were selected through a convenience sampling method (Emerson, 2015). This sampling method was used because of the ease of contacting the target interviewees.
A total of five interviewees were selected and requested for participation in the interview. The interviews were carried out at the interviewee's place of work. Interviews were conducted by the principal investigator (PI), and each interview session ran for, on average, 30 minutes. During the interview, the PI took notes and made an audio recording of the interview, which was used to ensure the recorded
The data collected were analyzed through thematic analysis. First, the data was coded then analyzed to establishing emerging themes.
Findings
Out of the five interview request that was sent, only three responded positively, one declined, and the fifth did not respond within the allocated time. A total of three interviewees participated in this research. All the participants work within the state of Florida, two are Sheriff Officers, and one works the U.S. Department of Justice. To ensure compliance with ethical requirements, any personal identifying information has been removed.
Table 1. Participant descriptions
Code name
Position
Employer
SOMD
Deputy Sheriff officer
Miami?Dade Sheriff Office
SOBC
Deputy Sheriff Officer
Brevard Sheriff Office
USM
Marshal
US Department of Justice
Analysis
The interview transcripts were analyzed to establish the themes that emerge as to determine what followers want in communication from their leader.
i. Method of communication
The method of communication emerged as an essential part of the expectation of followers when receiving communications from their leaders. There are various methods through which leaders can communicate with their followers. However, the choice method for communication, as per the interviewees, depends on the nature of the communication.
The form of communication depends on with whom I am communicating (peer, subordinate, or supervisor) and the message that needs to be conveyed. Additionally, for more formal communication, I prefer to speak in person and follow up with an email (SOMD).
Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings from random discussions. I prefer face to face meetings. Face to face meetings allows for communicating goals and objectives, team-building; and they more focused and more productive (USM).
Moreover, regardless of the method used, followers are looking to have a human?like experience when communicating.
…This humanizes the process but also provides a secondary means of communication to ensure my intent is not misunderstood (SOMD).
ii. Motivation
Leaders have a major role in motivating their followers. This role is especially more pronounced during times of crisis. Several respondents in this research also indicated their expectations for their leaders to motivate them.
…balance leadership abilities with management authority but also can shape the atmosphere (USM).
iii. Empowerment
During a crisis, followers will look up to their leaders for empowerment. Empowerment is not just through communication, but followers also need to be empowered through the provisions of the relevant resources to effectively and efficiently tackle the crisis at hand. In this research, the respondents expressed various instances where their leaders empowered them.
The city has allowed workers to work from home to deter the spread of COVID 19. For those who cannot afford the luxury to work from home, additional PPE has been provided as well as screening which calls first responders to respond to, to decrease unessential contact with the public (SOMD).
We take training to deal with extreme situations (shootings, stabbings, murders/attempted murders, suicides, and mentally ill) (SOBC).
In addition to resource empowerment, these followers are also empowered in communication, especially the freedom to raise their opinions without the fear of reprisal, and the feedback they get from their work.
I use my chain of command's open-door policy regularly, and I have not had any issues with reprisal (SOMD).
My unit provides verbal and written feedback frequently… my Commander may provide a task and ask me to develop courses of action to complete the task successfully. That gives me and other deputies ownership of our mission (SOBC).
iv. Cultural sensitivity
Even though one of the participants feels that his leader gives him sufficient and flexible communication that fits his personality and communication expectations, two of the interviewees feel that their leaders do not meet their communication expectations and sensitivities.
When I have direct questions or need prompt answers, the texted responses are delayed, or the responses do not answer/address my questions. His style of communication does not fit with my communication style and personality (SOBC).
My Supervisor (white female) does not proactively reach out and share information or instructions. She should be the one to initiate those conversations. I have to ask her what's on her mind and where her priorities lie in our section. She does not communicate clearly, at all (USM).
Discussion
Communication in the context of a leader?follower relationship plays a very crucial role. While the primary aim of the leader is to transmit information, the follower looks for numerous things, including how the communication is packed, which is the method of communication. The findings in this study show that, while followers are looking for a universally accepted method for formal communications, they are also looking for a way that utilizes aspects of human interaction. Therefore, phone call and email emerge as the most preferred methods of communication, which is in line with the findings by Goncalves (2017).
In the leader?follower relationship, followers are looking for motivation. During a crisis, followers are disillusioned and unaware of which information is right and the right source of information to rely upon. This study shows that followers look up to their leaders to communicate motivation and inspire them, not only for their work but also to face and fight through the crisis (Katiti, 2020). Motivation is the workplace can achieve through various avenues, but during the crisis, motivation from leadership is the most important. During a crisis, followers are looking up to their leaders for inspiration.
The current pandemic caused by the Corona Virus has caused several challenges to the way of life and challenged the leader?follower relationship. As a result, followers are looking up to their leaders for empowerment. For front line officers like those who participated in this research, they are looking for their employers to be empowered through the appropriate resource, e.g., PPEs and the appropriate skills, e.g., through training (Mazzei et al., 2019). Empowerment is essential, and it is one of the things that followers are looking to receive from their leaders to meet the new normal created by the crisis.
Lastly, this research shows that followers want their leaders to be sensitive to the cultural affiliation of their followers, as well as their personalities. Communication is a part of human interaction, and just like every other human interaction, followers want their leaders to be culturally sensitive and address their personalities. This finding is in line with the findings by Men & Yue (2019), who argued that both culture and personality address the emotional aspect of the follower. When the leaders address the emotions of their followers, then the result is an emotionally satisfied follower, who will contribute positively towards the realization of the organization's mission.
Conclusion
During a crisis like the current COVID19 Pandemic, followers are looking up to their leaders for guidance through the crisis. This is normally done through communication, but what exactly, from the follower's viewpoint, does a follower want from a communication made by their leader? This study sought to determine this by conducting qualitative research that interviewed followers. Analysis of the data collected showed that followers are looking for the method to be passed through a standard method for formal method, i.e., a phone call and email. Through communication, a follower wants to be motivated, empowered, and communication should address their cultural and personality concerns.
However, this study is limited in that, given the nature of the study, the study sample was significantly small that was conveniently sampled, and such aspects like experience and years of the leader?follower relationship need to be factored in. It is therefore recommended that further studies should have a significantly large sample selected randomly and factor such factors that might influence the relationship between the leader and the follower.
References
Blendea, S. (2016). Improving the communication of teaching. Research and Science Today, 11(1), 103-111.
Emerson, R. W. (2015). Convenience sampling, random sampling, and snowball sampling: How does sampling affect the validity of research?. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 109(2), 164-168.
Goncalves, P. (2017). Want successful employee communications? Think like a marketer. Strategic HR Review.
Holton, M. J. (2014). The leader-follower relationship: A leader-follower perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Dublin, National College of Ireland).
Johansson, C. (2018). Leadership communication. The international encyclopedia of strategic communication, 1-16.
Kamales, N., & Knorr, H. (2019). Leaders with Managing Cultural Diversity and Communication. Asia Pacific Journal of Religions and Cultures, 3(1), 63-72.
Katiti, A. J. (2020). Management of Employees during Economic Downturn: A Literature-Based Review. Journal of Human Resource & Leadership, 4(2), 70-87.
Kootbodien, A., Prasad, N. V., & Ali, M. S. B. S. (2018). Trends and impact of WhatsApp as a mode of communication among Abu Dhabi students. Media Watch, 9(2), 257-266.
Mazzei, A., Kim, J. N., Togna, G., Lee, Y., & Lovari, A. (2019). Employees as advocates or adversaries during a corporate crisis. The role of perceived authenticity and employee empowerment. Sinergie Italian Journal of Management, 37(2), 195-212.
Men, L. R., & Yue, C. A. (2019). Creating a positive emotional culture: Effect of internal communication and impact on employee supportive behaviors. Public relations review, 45(3), 101764.
Mohanty, A., & Mohanty, S. (2018). The impact of communication and group dynamics on teamwork effectiveness: The case of service sector organizations. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 17(4), 1-14.
Novak, D. (2012). Taking people with you: The only way to make BIG things happen. London: Penguin Group.
Appendix
I. Interview questions
1. As COVID-19 has brought our world to a screeching halt, what leadership values do you expect from your leadership?
2. How has your organizational leadership realigned its forces during this pandemic?
3. What example of transformational leadership have you observed during this crisis?
4. How comfortable are you with expressing your opinion without fear of reprisal?
5. How much does fraternization create problems at this unit? Please explain.
6. How effectively do leaders deal with conflicts or difficulties within the unit? Please explain.
7. What type of performance feedback do you receive from your chain of unit? Describe whether it has been beneficial and why.
8. What kind of communication method do you prefer? (email, meetings, phone)
9. How does the way your supervisor communicates with you fit your communication style and personality?
10. If you could change the way your supervisor communicates with you, what would you have him/her do?