Leadership’s Devolution: The Evolving Dynamics of Power and Followership
In a significant shift from traditional hierarchies, the modern world has drastically redefined the dynamics of leadership and followership. The presumption that leaders must dominate and followers blindly obey has been upended by a series of revolutions, labor movements, human-rights advancements, and the spread of democratic ideals. Today, power, authority, and influence are increasingly scarce, affecting even the most charismatic CEOs.
As societal norms progressed, workers at all levels have developed an expanded sense of entitlement, often demanding more while contributing less. Technology plays a key role in leveling the playing field, allowing employees to access information and communicate openly, thus diluting traditional power structures.
In this climate, many employees exhibit indifference, disengagement, or outright resistance. There are only two reasons they will align with a leader: they have to, due to structural demands, or they genuinely want to, motivated by inspiring leadership.
The late 20th century saw the decline of traditional command-and-control leadership, yet some leaders persist in clinging to outdated models. Today, leadership advice centers on participation—cooperation and collaboration are paramount in driving success.
Leadership is now measured by three critical criteria:
- Is the leader ethical?
- Is the leader effective?
- Does the business generate profits and provide employment?
In parallel, followers evaluate their leaders by questioning:
- Does my boss consider my best interests, or even know them?
- Is my boss prioritizing the company’s well-being?
- Why should I trust, believe, and follow this leader?
While human beings share tendencies with other animals, often seeking strong figures for safety and security akin to apes and baboons, societal shifts aim for a more gender-diverse leadership landscape. Still, progress remains gradual.
Empowering Followership
The reality underscores a crucial truth—there can be no leadership without followership. Effective leadership necessitates strong followership, characterized by either passive reception or active participation, depending on the context. However, followers have been slow to embrace empowerment and engage fully in this nuanced dance of leader-follower dynamics.
Many organizations and development programs still overlook the critical role of nurturing capable followers, focusing predominantly on leadership development. Few training or coaching services actively target followership development, missing a critical component for holistic organizational growth.
Your Perspective on Leadership’s Evolution
In this era of evolving leadership dynamics, what are your thoughts on the role of empowerment within followership and how it complements strong leadership? Are there strategies your organization employs to foster this dual development? Your thoughts and experiences are invaluable to understanding how we might balance leadership and followership to achieve organizational success.
Creator of the KASHBOX: Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, Habits
Helping You Realize Your Potential
I help people discover their potential, expand and develop the skills and attitudes necessary to achieve a higher degree of personal and professional success and create a plan that enables them to balance the profit motives of their business with the personal motives of their lives.
