Follower Expectations in Leader-Follower Communication
This paper presents a qualitative research study investigating what followers want from their leaders in terms of communication, with particular relevance to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using structured interviews with three participants employed in law enforcement and federal justice roles in Florida, the study identifies four key themes: preferred communication methods, motivation, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity. Findings indicate that followers prefer formal channels such as phone calls and emails, expect leaders to motivate and empower them, and want communication that is sensitive to their cultural backgrounds and personal styles. The paper situates these findings within existing leadership communication literature and recommends directions for future, larger-scale research.
- Introduction: Problem statement, research objective, and report outline
- Literature Review: Prior research on leader-follower and crisis communication
- Methodology: Qualitative design, convenience sampling, interview process
- Findings and Analysis: Four themes from participant interviews analyzed
- Discussion: Findings linked to existing literature and theory
- Conclusion: Key takeaways, limitations, and future research directions
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper clearly articulates a research gap — the follower perspective in leadership communication — and builds its entire structure around filling that gap, giving the study a focused and defensible rationale.
- Direct participant quotations are integrated throughout the findings, grounding the thematic analysis in concrete, firsthand evidence rather than generalization.
- The discussion section explicitly connects each finding to prior literature, demonstrating academic engagement and situating the study's contributions within a broader scholarly conversation.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates thematic analysis as an interpretive methodology: raw interview data are first coded and then grouped into emergent themes (method of communication, motivation, empowerment, cultural sensitivity). This technique is characteristic of qualitative inquiry and shows how researchers move from participant responses to abstract, transferable conclusions without imposing predetermined categories.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a conventional social-science research report structure: an introduction that establishes the problem and research question; a literature review that maps existing knowledge and identifies a gap; a methodology section detailing design, sampling, and data collection; a findings and analysis section organized by theme; a discussion that synthesizes findings with prior research; and a conclusion that restates key takeaways, acknowledges limitations, and proposes future directions. Appendices include the interview instrument used in data collection.
Introduction
Communication is a vital ingredient in the relationship between a leader and a follower. Effective communication helps not only to ensure that correct information is conveyed, but also serves to motivate followers and promote a more synchronous leader–follower relationship (Blendea, 2016). Effective communication involves more than simply transmitting a message, especially in the context of a leader communicating with followers. Communication has become even more important in recent times as the world contends with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As traditional arrangements between leaders and followers have been disrupted, communication — which has typically occurred through face-to-face or other in-person modes — has been transformed to take place primarily through virtual platforms.
The ability to communicate is one of the vital competencies for a leader, and effective communication serves, among other functions, to grow the leader–follower relationship. It also enables the realization of both personal and organizational goals. Within an organization, internal communication is an essential element, playing a role in employee motivation, improved performance, and increased customer satisfaction (Mohanty & Mohanty, 2018). The need to motivate employees is even more pressing at present, as the normal patterns of organizational life — in-office interaction, regular routines, and stable income — have been disrupted for most organizations as an effect of the pandemic.
Statement of the Problem
Ineffective communication has significantly detrimental effects within an organization, including a lack of synchronous operation between leadership and followers. Most recent research has centered on how leaders can improve their communication (Johansson, 2018; Kamales & Knorr, 2019). However, a vital part of the equation is understanding what followers look for when determining whether communication is effective. Unfortunately, there is very limited research on what followers are seeking in a leader–follower communication context.
Research Objective and Question
The current study seeks to determine what followers want from their leaders with regard to communication. What followers want concerning communication varies in style, quantity, and type, among other dimensions. This is especially relevant in the current COVID-19 pandemic scenario, where traditional methods and modes of communication have been set aside as workplaces have moved online — featuring virtual meetings, email, social media messages, and increased phone calls.
To realize this objective, the research addresses the following question:
What do followers want from their leaders with regard to communication?
Purpose of the Research
This research contributes to the body of information available on what followers want in leader–follower communication. The findings and recommendations generated by this study are intended to inform leaders on how to formulate their communications so that they are effective from the follower's perspective.
Outline of the Report
This report is composed of five main parts: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings and analysis, discussion, and conclusion. The introduction presents the issue and explains why it warrants research, ending with the research objective and question. The literature review highlights what previous researchers have found on the topic. The methodology section explains how data were collected and analyzed. The discussion relates the current findings to those established by prior researchers. Finally, the conclusion answers the research question, offers recommendations for leaders, and identifies areas for further research.
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, National College of Ireland, Dublin).
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.
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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 command? Describe whether it has been beneficial and why.
8. What kind of communication method do you prefer — email, meetings, or 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 or her do differently?
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