L33

Overview

What is the difference between leadership and followership?

Key Terms

leadership

Joint doctrine defines leadership as ‘the process of influencing others in order to gain their willing consent in the ethical pursuit of missions’.

Followership

Followership is the actions of someone in a subordinate role. It can also be considered as a specific set of skills that complement leadership, a role within a hierarchical organization, a social construct that is integral to the leadership process, or the behaviours engaged in while interacting with leaders in an effort to meet organizational objectives. As such, followership is best defined as an intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergetic interchange between the follower and the leader.