Why do Employees Follow Leaders as opposed to Managers? An initial study into Tesco Musselburgh.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this body of work is to allow the reader to understand the
importance of leadership and followership, with regards to why employee’s
follower leaders. Throughout this piece the importance of each will be
critically evaluated allowing the reader to get a new or developed
understanding on management, leadership and followership.
Design/ Methodology/ Approach
This piece will adapt qualitative methodology and through the use of semistructured
interviews will allow the researcher to show the reader how
employees and managers truly react in the workplace.
Findings
The findings show that followership is still not largely known in the
workplace. There is an understanding that when explained, followership is
important to the workplace cohesion. Also, the finding show that employees
as well as managers know there is a difference between a manager and a
leader and can describe their feelings towards each.
Limitations
When conducting the research for this project the researcher found it
difficult to find a bank of knowledge on followership, this had to be taken
into account when conducting field research. Time implications tested the
researcher as Tesco hit a busy period with no overtime, which made the
researcher adapt their timescale.
Implications
Manager and employees must become more self-aware of their actions,
every action has a knock-on effect. If followership can be discussed,
researched and developed organisations will have a new ability to evolve.