Discuss Howell and Mendez’s three perspectives on followers…
Discuss Howell and Mendez’s three perspectives on followership. Note how these behaviors influence work productivity. What is the big five personality model? What is the Myers-Briggs test? How is it similar to the Big five model? How is it different than the Big five model?
Answer
Howell and Mendez propose three perspectives on followership: the leader-follower relationship, the follower’s role, and the follower’s characteristics. These perspectives offer different insights into the dynamics of followership and their influence on work productivity.
The leader-follower relationship perspective focuses on the nature of the relationship between leaders and followers. It suggests that followers respond differently depending on the type of leadership they receive. For example, a transformational leader who inspires and motivates followers is likely to elicit higher levels of productivity compared to a transactional leader who emphasizes task completion and exchange of rewards. This perspective highlights the importance of a positive leader-follower relationship in promoting higher levels of productivity among followers.
The follower’s role perspective examines how followers perform their roles within the organization. It emphasizes that followers have a responsibility to contribute to the organization’s goals, and their engagement and commitment impact work productivity. When followers have a clear understanding of their role and actively participate in achieving organizational objectives, they are more likely to enhance productivity. On the other hand, passive or disengaged followers may hinder productivity and create obstacles for the leader.
The follower’s characteristics perspective looks at the traits and behaviors of followers that influence their level of productivity. This perspective suggests that followers vary in their personalities and that these individual differences can affect work performance. For example, followers who are proactive, self-motivated, and have high levels of self-efficacy are more likely to be productive compared to those who exhibit passive or dependent behaviors.
These three perspectives on followership reveal that the behavior and characteristics of followers have a significant impact on work productivity. By fostering positive leader-follower relationships, organizations can enhance followers’ engagement and commitment, leading to higher levels of productivity. Furthermore, organizations should encourage followers to clearly understand their roles and actively contribute to achieving organizational objectives. Lastly, recognizing and promoting followers’ positive characteristics, such as proactiveness and self-motivation, can further enhance productivity levels.
Moving on to the Big Five personality model, it is a widely accepted framework for understanding personality traits. The model includes five broad dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. These dimensions capture the various dimensions of human personality and can provide valuable insights into individual differences in behavior, preferences, and work-related outcomes.
The Myers-Briggs test, on the other hand, is a popular psychometric assessment tool used to categorize individuals into one of sixteen personality types. It is based on the work of Carl Jung and assesses various aspects of personality, including extroversion vs. introversion, thinking vs. feeling, sensing vs. intuiting, and judging vs. perceiving. While both the Big Five model and the Myers-Briggs test aim to understand individual differences in personality, they differ in their approach and theoretical foundations.
One similarity between the Big Five model and the Myers-Briggs test is that they both provide a framework for understanding personality differences. However, the Big Five model is based on empirical research and emphasizes broad dimensions of personality, while the Myers-Briggs test is based on Jungian theory and categorizes individuals into specific personality types.
Another difference is that the Big Five model is considered to be more scientifically rigorous and reliable due to its empirical basis. In contrast, the Myers-Briggs test has received criticism for its lack of validity and limited psychometric properties.
In summary, the Big Five model and the Myers-Briggs test are both tools for understanding personality, but they differ in their approach, theoretical foundations, and levels of scientific rigor. Understanding individual differences in personality can provide valuable insights into work-related behaviors and outcomes, ultimately influencing work productivity.