Flagship followers: Leadership flip

Abstract

Followers are necessary for a leader yet workforce training, organizational development programs and higher education focus only on leadership skills with little attention to followers. The perception and role of follower is changing due to social media. A literature review finds that followers have variety in their styles with skills that not only benefit the leader but the organization. Organizations should invest in training to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities of followers and capture the best practices of the critically thinking and engaged followers as well as integrate followership skills into workplace training, organizational development and higher education.