Followership In The Workplace

Position power or legitimate dominance is essential when discussing the pecking order within any group or organization. In most organizations an order of precedence is valuable in the operations of teams and small groups. A chain-of-command would be necessary when dealing with problems or simple matters which could be handled at the lower level of management. Individual or referent power in group settings are beneficial when the leader is comfortable and able to help the group achieve organization goals. However, when the leader is only occupied with selfish gain this could present a massive inconvenience for the other group members. Knowledgeable or expert power is an important aspect of groups because the expert would change dependent …show more content…
Due to the fact I am not in a position of great power at my current organization. So having the ability to allow others to lead as I follow is not a far stretch. Whether in large groups or small committees at work knowing your part and playing that part is crucial to achieve the desired end. As long as one consistently keeps the goal of the group in clear view, followership should not be a concern. It is when the goal becomes clouded by other insignificant things that people forget the purpose which tends to cause issues. This example works in our personal lives, too. When our personal goals become skewed or we simply lose track of why we were doing something, issues …show more content…
I learned somethings about myself in regards to conflict management. It came as no surprise that to choose to avoid conflict situations. I knew this about myself, however, when forced to defend my child I am the exact opposite. The metaphor I would use to describe my actions would be: I am a lioness stalking her prey when I fell as though my child is threatened. I retook the Conflict styles assessment with my family in mind. The results of my personal life were extremely different from my professional life. Which indicated that I need to find a realistic manner for dealing with conflict professionally. Generally, I am the listener as opposed to the talker in groups. This can be viewed as a strength when taking important notes and recanting information discussed. I will talk if asked but I do not usually initiate the conversations. When I do not know anyone in the group I resort to being silent. It is my coping mechanism. Although, this weakness is not ideal, I am working on coming out of my shell, so to speak. I have always had an introverted personality. However, I have been making small improvements. Making initial contact with others even before I am fully comfortable. Such as, speaking to someone I do not know. Which is an improvement for me. But, how will I get to know this person if I do not create an opportunity to know them. My confidence is building and goal will be to continue to be the