Summary of Key Points
To be a leader requires followers. Leadership has nothing to do with the titles or ranks.
Leadership is about influencing others in a manner that is consistent with the goals, vision and objectives
of an organization, country or institution. Leadership is about making followers be able to follow the
leader and to make followers feel some sense of entitlement and belonging. The ability of a leader to
make followers follow him depends on the ability to put his words in the right context that would
influence them. Followership is critical in the discussion of leadership for various reasons. Without
followers, there would be no leaders. For any organization or project to succeed, there should be people
that are willing to follow just as there are those who are willingly and effectively to lead.
If leaders are able to put project their vision in a manner that the followers can see and connect to
it as Martin Luther King Jr did, they would be in a position to lead their followers effectively. Leaders
must always remember that their followers also want their needs felt such as protection, recognition and
love and as such, it is imperative that leaders work on perfecting their leadership by giving their followers
love, support, rewards and recognition. Leadership is more about being a servant of the people and remain
obsessed with people. Ethical leadership should help leaders in behaving in accordance to certain values
and principles that are recognized by the majority as a sound way for common good. Leaders must
therefore cultivate integrity, transparency, honesty and fairness. Ethical leadership must remain conscious
of decision making.
When followers and employees fail in their place of work, firing them is not a solution
and it is prudent to help tem each time they fail until they get to the right position. An ethical
leader sets examples of what the followers must do and publicly champion for the importance of
ethics. At all times ethical leadership must cultivate fairness in their place of work and offer
equal treatment to al their followers or employees. Decisions must also be made on the basis of
values and al the employees and followers must be made aware of these values. Though leaders
should establish zero ground for ethical violations, it is important that leaders help their
employees in fuelling these values. Furthermore, leaders must remain focused on open
communication in their place of work and keep their employees motivated.
Personal and Professional Opinion
It is apparent and agrreable that that right leadership demands being fair, open and ethical at all
times in the place of work for the followers to find someone they can voluntarily follow and emulate. A
leader should be able to shape the vision, objectives and goals of an organization or institution. These
objectives, goals and vision must be well communicated to enable followers stick with them and work
towards fulfilling them. A Leader must always behave professionally and must not have conflicting
interests. With regards to treatment of employees, all employees must receive equal treatment and be
accorded fairness. It is agreeable that those employees who are struggling should be assisted through
training, cashing and motivation to enable them perform well like others. Reprimanding those employees
who are not able to meet their targets is not a solution in the place of work, rather they should be
mentored and be uplifted.
