DR. JEFFERY DAVID WHIPPO EXPLAINS WHY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND FOLLOWERSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT
DR. WHIPPO EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEADERS
Dr. Jeffery David Whippo, a successful business educator and leadership expert,
explains that leaders are both formal and informal within organizations. Formal leaders are those that have been sanctioned by power and authority, usually
through position or title; while informal leaders are those that the members of the team look up to within the organization. Whippo says that in either case, leaders are those that guide and direct the behaviors
of others within the work environment.
THE TERM ‘LEADER’ IS NOT NECESSARILY INTERCHANGEABLE WITH THE TERM ‘MANAGER’, SAYS WHIPPO Jeffery David Whippo says that the term leader is not necessarily interchangeable with the term
manager. While managers may have the ability to be leaders, managers do not necessarily make good leaders. Jeffery articulates that managers are focused on directing the work of others through actions such as
the Task Cycle (Wilson, 2003) on various tasks like making goals clear and important, planning work and solving problems, facilitating the work of others, sharing feedback, exercising control, and reinforcing good performance. On the other hand, leadership, as defined by John P. Kotter (1998), is responsible for three key
functions which include setting direction, gaining alignment, and motivating and inspiring people.
WHAT IS FOLLOWERSHIP AND HOW IT HAS CHANGED IN THE RECENT YEARS, EXPLAINS DR. WHIPPO
Followership, Whippo says, is the process of being directed and guided by a leader. He describes that in recent years, the views of the followers have changed from
passive or autonomous to be more dynamic due to new concepts of empowerment and self-managed work teams.
WHIPPO FEELS THAT LEADERS CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THE ORGANIZATIONS’ GOALS WITHOUT HAVING FOLLOWERS
Jeffery Whippo clarifies that effective followers have been shown to be more
committed to self-management and self-responsibility along with a high level of commitment to the organization as a whole. According to him, leaders should never underestimate or forget about the
importance of having followers that trust their direction and that will act in an effort to accomplish the set goals and objectives.
THANK YOU JEFFERY DAVID WHIPPO