Abstract
Followership is the silent partner to leadership. Leadership tends to eclipse followership but, as organizations flatten, research on followership, in a professional setting, is expanding and serving as a framework for reflection upon leadership practices and effectiveness. This project examines followership as a contributor to leadership, brings awareness to the significance of the leader-follower relationship, and identifies opportunities to improve leader and follower effectiveness. The study includes a definition and deconstruction of followership, a discussion of the evolutionary basis of the leader-follower relationship, the connotations and stigma associated with followers and leaders, and a review of the literature on followership. A survey was conducted to measure knowledge levels about and identification with followership, to ascertain preferred followership and leadership styles and preferences, and to identify potential opportunities for future research.
