A633.7.3.RB Clark_A - Leader Follower Relationship

Leader Follower Relationship

     Completing and assessing my responses on scoring table for the exercise at the beginning of Chapter 10 was very thought-provoking.  The exercise was comprised of sixteen questions which Obolensky (2014), states that ideally the participant should have scored four points in each column.  If not, that the participant’s score may reveal that they might be too devoted to one particular strategy and need to decipher the reason why that is the case.  My score resulted in the following for each category; 6 points- (Tell) Strategy 1, 2 points – (Sell) Strategy 2, 7 points – (Involve) Strategy 3 and 1 point –(Devolve) Strategy 4.

      Upon reviewing my responses in order to address the imbalance, I realized that I have a tendency to elect to utilize the Involve Strategy where the focus is a “high people, low goal” approach to leadership.  Obolensky (2014) states, “this is used either when the leader does not know or chooses to hold back to allow others to discover the solution.”  I can attest to this analysis being my most prominent leadership strategy, as I often seek to allow others to have an opportunity to solve their own problems while withholding my knowledge in many circumstances.  My score also revealed that I also lend heavily to the Tell Strategy 1 where the focus is a “low people, high goal” approach to leadership.  Which again I can identify with because I often decided to provide followers the “what” and the “how” to solve a problem in an effort to get the job completed.   Obolensky (2014) states that “telling someone both is not good as telling them one.”  This is also relative to the level of followership of follower at that particular time. 

     The results of this assessment are important to the context of my future leadership goals and objectives in that it provides me a baseline in regards to my strategic leadership tendencies.  I believe that this gives me starting point and an advantage to being more effective at adapting to the specific situations and responding strategically and responsibly, not just by what I feel comfortable with.  I don’t think it is advantageous for a leader to rely on two strategic extremes as my results indicated.   Especially, since every situation and the followership level of the individuals involved may call for a totally different approach to solve the problem.  This all depending on the complexity of the situation as well as whether the strategic focus at the time is on the goal or the person. 

     I can apply what I learned about my tendencies reflected in the results of my assessment by making a deliberate effort to internalize the complex adaptive strategies and principles which were presented in this course.  After I have successfully internalized these concepts, I will be better equipped and able to identify situations and utilized the strategies and principles to some degree within the department which I am assigned.  It is highly unlikely that my organization would adopt this form of strategic leadership districtwide as the hierarchal leadership structure is deeply rooted and has a traditional view of leadership and management which causes separation.

     Within the past six weeks my thinking has changed in that I have learned the importance of adapting leadership styles and strategies to accommodate the situation at that moment.  I was pleasantly surprised that the assessment revealed that I was able to identify a situation to utilize each type of strategy.  Although, my scores still reflect that I have an either/or take on leadership strategy which does not really incorporate the sell and devolve strategies.  Whereby Obolensky (2014) suggests, that strategy 4 –Devolve is where the Four + Four Principles are in place therefore, where we ultimately with like our leader- follower relationship /strategy to be with our organization.  I would also say that I have a greater understanding of the interconnectedness between the leadership and followership basics that must be in place in order for an organization to flourish.  This is because my organization has room for improvement in these foundational principles in order to effectively adopt a complex adaptive leadership strategy. 

Reference

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership: embracing paradox and uncertainty, 2d Edition. Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Limited.