There are several international sport ministries around the world where you could be called to follow the leadership of others. For instance, you can be called to follow the current leadership at the International Swimming Federation (FINA), which was established in 1908 and has its headquarters in Switzerland. This organization is concerned with swimming events, including water polo, artistic swimming, diving, water polo, high diving, and open water swimming. This essay precisely examines the cultural elements that should be implemented when preparing to be an effective follower.
While leadership and fellowship are narrowly entangled, a person must consider several important cultural elements to become an effective follower (Plueddemann, 2021). Some of these cultural elements examined in the text, which are useful, include beliefs, social standards, and cultural values. In addition, leaders who recognize their team’s beliefs and behaviors can optimize their performance by incorporating positive social norms. The main aim of leadership is to nurture people so that they become responsible, and a good follower must be willing to cooperate and adhere to the rules of an organization (Edward & Honeycutt, 2021). This implies incorporating the key values of both collectivist and individualist cultures in the organization you are called to be a follower. Therefore, being a follower at FINA would require me to rely on cultural values underpinned in the organization keenly.
Another crucial aspect to consider is understanding how social standards in an organization influence the top management’s delegated duties and expectations. According to Plueddemann (2021), a good follower must be able to meet the standards of leadership established in their organization. In this case, being a follower demands a person to understand the radical differences between leadership culture and the company’s goals. The following leadership characteristics are important: integrity, self-confidence, moral and ethical character, intelligence, and relevant knowledge.
Integrity implies that the leader is eager to exert energy and motivate those working under them to achieve the desired goals. Moreover, to be an effective leader, a person must be honest and hold moral and ethical behaviors that are important in making informed decisions. The desire to influence followers is another trait of a leader. Based on the above leadership traits, it is evident that a good follower can easily shape desirable leadership behavior just as a good leader develops workers into effective followers (Cakir & Adiguzel, 2020).
A crucial step observed in the text is the role of effective followership, such as diverse forms of followership, the role of a follower, and how effectively the follower behaves (Plueddemann, 2021). As a follower at FINA, one of the most important steps I would take is showing respect to my superiors and adhering to the work guidelines provided to ensure the continued success of the international organization. Furthermore, as a follower, I would give more attention to the leadership style adopted and the manner it has been effective in the organization to ensure its continuity in the best way possible.
Another crucial step of consideration would be creating awareness and evaluating what I want as a follower from the leader. Followership is significant in the conversation about leadership for varied reasons. Without followers, there can never be future leaders, and this is a special consideration. As Plueddemann (2021) highlights, there should be individuals willing to follow any organization and institution, whether religious, non-profit, or business oriented to prospect. This applies in every small and big organization where people are willing to accept duties and responsibilities. A crucial step in this preparation is the understanding that leadership is mainly an influencing role. Therefore, being in a position of power, a person influences their followers through their actions and attitudes. In essence, one leadership theory is founded on how leaders adjust their behaviors to fit different situations, particularly their followers.
Therefore, the nature of the leader-follower connection entails reciprocity, and this is a vital step and consideration that I would prioritize in my new organization. It is important to note that the above relationship brings about a mutual exchange of influence between the leader and the follower. The followers’ influence in this context can improve the leader and also accentuate their leadership shortcomings (Edward & Honeycutt, 2021). Most of the competencies that are required in international leaders are the same required to be effective followers. Moreover, possessing independence, initiative, courage, devotion to common goals, a follower can facilitate enthusiastic support of a leader. This aspect would be helpful towards bringing the desired change.
Several cultural elements, including organization culture, leadership culture, and employee support mechanism, can inhibit me from being an effective leader. Nonetheless, these elements can be addressed by focusing on an effective leadership style that appreciates individual values and cultures and fosters teamwork. Furthermore, different situations sometimes demand the leader to go the extra mile to ensure goals are attained. Therefore, it is true there are times when a person is constrained to only do so much. Nevertheless, the cultural elements described in this text are helpful, and I can apply them to secure a followership opportunity at FINA.
References
Cakir, F., & Adiguzel, Z. (2020). Analysis of leader effectiveness in organization and knowledge sharing behavior on employees and organization. Scientific advisory group emergencies journals, 10(1), 1-14. Web.
Edward, J., & Honeycutt, A. (2021). The impact of leadership and fellowship: An organizational phenomena. The journal of applied business research, 37(4), 95-98.
Meraku, A. (2017). Role of leadership in organizational effectiveness. Journal of ecomonics, busness and management, 5(11), 336-340. Web.
Plueddemann, J. (2021). Leading across cultures: Effective ministry and mission in the global church. InterVarsity Press.
Schuetz, A. (2017). Effective leadership and its impact on an organisation’s success. Research gate, 3(3), 73-89. Web.
Stern, J. (2021). Do you follow? Understanding fellowship before leadership. Scientific advisory group emergencies journals, 35(1), 58-61. Web.