Introduction
The dynamics of any organization are shaped by two essential ideas: followership and servant leadership, and the Army is no exception. The term followership refers to the role of the follower in a leader-follower relationship, emphasizing accountability, active participation, and the ability to follow a leader effectively. In contrast, servant leadership is a leadership concept in which the leader’s primary objective is to serve others, prioritizing the team’s development and well-being over personal goals. This essay aims to examine the tenets of followership and servant leadership by contrasting and comparing them, and to explore how they apply to the Army.
Description of Leadership Styles
Followership
The deliberate choice to accept another’s leadership and actively participate in accomplishing a shared objective is called following. Values like accountability, active involvement, critical thinking, and the capacity for successful leadership define it. The Army relies heavily on followership to maintain organization, discipline, and cohesion. It enables soldiers to carry out instructions effectively, contribute to team goals, and support their commanders in completing tasks (Barry et al., 2021). Soldiers who demonstrate initiative, complete their work thoroughly, offer constructive criticism, and uphold Army standards even without direct supervision are examples of effective followership in the Army.
Servant Leader
A leader who practices servant leadership prioritizes serving others above all else. Empathy, humility, and prioritizing the team’s success over personal goals are among their defining characteristics. Servant leadership is essential in the Army to promote collaboration and respect among all members (Eva et al., 2019). It motivates commanders to prioritize the needs of their troops, boosting morale, allegiance, and total team productivity. Leaders who actively listen to their soldiers, understand their struggles, and make wise decisions that put their team’s welfare and growth first are examples of servant leadership in the Army.
Comparison of Followership vs. Servant Leadership
Despite their different approaches, followership and servant leadership share several commonalities. Both emphasize the value of participation, teamwork, and prioritizing the group’s goals over personal interests. Both promote a climate of respect for one another and dedication to the objective, which fosters collaboration and ultimately leads to success. However, there are also significant variations between the two.
While servant leadership emphasizes the leader’s role in meeting the team’s needs, followership focuses on the follower’s role and responsibilities within the leader-follower relationship (Barry et al., 2021; Eva et al., 2019). Servant leadership is about leading by serving, whereas followership is about effectively following.
In the Army, servant leadership and followership interact in a dynamic manner. While servant leadership guarantees that leaders prioritize the welfare and development of their troops, effective followership enables soldiers to support their leaders and contribute to the team’s goals (Barry et al., 2021; Eva et al., 2019). In a symbiotic relationship, leaders serve their followers, and followers actively assist their leaders, resulting in a cohesive and effective team. This harmony is essential for the Army because it fosters a climate of respect, collaboration, and dedication to the mission, all of which contribute to the Army’s overall success.
Conclusion
Two essential ideas that determine the dynamics of the Army are discipleship and servant leadership. Both servant leadership, with its emphasis on servicing the needs of the team, and followership, with its emphasis on active involvement and accountability, contribute to the Army’s overall performance. These ideas have a significant impact on the Army, fostering a culture of respect, teamwork, and dedication to the mission. They impact the overall success of the Army and the way troops interact with one another. For the Army to be effective, these ideas must be understood and implemented. They strengthen the bond between the commander and their followers, while also fostering the growth of an effective, unified, and victorious Army.
References
Barry, E. S., Bader-Larsen, K. S., Meyer, H. S., Durning, S. J., & Varpio, L. (2021). Leadership and followership in military interprofessional health care teams. Military Medicine, 186(3), 7–15. Web.
Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., Van Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R. C. (2019). Servant leadership: A systematic review and call for future research. The leadership quarterly, 30(1), 111-132. Web.