The differences among leadership, management, and followership.

Concrete Example: A team leader in a software company notices low morale and a lack of innovation. They inspire the team by articulating a new vision for a groundbreaking product that could change the industry. The leader empowers team members, encourages risk-taking, and provides a compelling "why" for their work. The team rallies behind this vision, even without a clear, step-by-step plan.

Management ⚙️

Management is the process of planning, organizing, and controlling resources to accomplish a specific task or objective. A manager holds a formal position of authority and is responsible for the day-to-day operations. They are concerned with "how" and "when."

Concrete Example: The same software team's project manager takes the leader's vision and breaks it down into actionable steps. They create a project timeline, assign tasks to specific developers, allocate resources (budget, equipment), and track progress. The manager ensures deadlines are met, monitors performance, and handles any logistical issues that arise. Their focus is on efficiency and execution.

Followership 👣

Followership is the capacity and willingness to cooperate in a group and support a leader or manager to achieve a common goal. It is an active, not passive, role. An effective follower is engaged, thinks critically, and provides constructive feedback. They are the ones who "do."

Concrete Example: The developers on the team are the followers. They trust the leader's vision and respect the manager's plan. A good follower might notice a flaw in the project timeline and proactively suggest a more efficient coding method to the manager. They take ownership of their assigned tasks and contribute to the team's success by providing their expertise and commitment.

Sample Answer

Leadership, management, and followership are distinct but interconnected roles within an organization. Leadership is about setting a vision and inspiring people, management is about executing tasks to achieve that vision, and followership is about supporting the leader and manager to reach a common goal.

Leadership 💡

Leadership is the ability to influence and inspire a group toward a shared vision. It focuses on setting direction, creating change, and motivating people. A leader doesn't necessarily hold a formal position of power; their influence comes from their character, vision, and ability to connect with others. They ask "what" and "why."