MEANING OF FOLLOWERSHIP, QUALITIES FUNCTIONS AND TYPES

Followership is the direct opposite of leadership. Whenever there is a leadership, they must be followership. In fact, the book of God says a leader is usually a product of the followers. In other words. The way a leader is, we definitely reflect on the followership.

Therefore, followership can be said to be the group of people whom a leader has control over. It is the expression used to describe the body of people who somebody leads. In the practical sense of the world, followers must reflect the leadership. The reason is that each follower takes steps to perform some leadership role. The success of a leader depends on the corporation received from the followers. Therefore, there is no successful leadership unless effective followership.

QUALITIES OF THE FOLLOWERSHIP

Just as we have quality expected of a good leader, we, as well, have some qualities which followers must possess. The following are some of the qualities :

1. COOPERATION : good followers must co-operate with their leaders. It is operation from followers that will make them to perform duties and tasks assigned to them. It is the co-orporation that will make them to overlook some mistake which their leader could make. Cooperation is essential from followers to ensure that their leaders succeed.
2. UNDERSTANDING : another important quality of followers is that the most builders standing. They must know what to do and what not to do. For example, it is the understanding of the citizen who are working in private sector, such as the market women, that will make them to pay their tax without being forced. . Is through understanding that market women will decide to clean their surroundings. Moreover, it is by understanding that nigeria citizens will want to behave themselves well in a foreign land so as not to embarrass the nation. In fact, understanding and cooperation are the two qualities which followers must possess in order to make their country great.
3. LAW ABIDING : another important quality follower must have is obedience. They must obey the rules and regulations so as to reduce crimes in the country or organisation. In nigeria, one of the problems of the nation is several people choose not to be law abiding. It is, therefore, a difficult task to fight crime. The money government is supposed to channel towards developing is being channeled towards fighting crime. In the last 10 years, in nigeria, the budget allocated for security has risen steadily.
4. HONESTY : just as it is expected of the leaders to be honest, the follower, as well, should be honest. Honesty, as the quality of the followers, entails that they must desist from corruption. They must uphold principle of transparency. They must not give or accept bribes. They must carry out their duties without fear or favor.
5. COMMITMENT : another important quality of followership is commitment. It is through commitment that followers will believe that the future will be bright. It is commitment that makes them to stand by their leaders. It makes them to be firm and steadfast. All nation organisation, at one time or the other, and had one problem or the other. It is through commitment that they overcome such problems.

TYPES OF FOLLOWERSHIP

DOGMATIC FOLLOWERSHIP

The dogmatic followership is a trade by which people do not see anything wrong in the action of their leaders. The followers, in this category, believe that their leaders can not make mistake. Dogmatic followership is common to religious settings. Some religious faithfuls can be so dogmatic that they would not be able to criticize a question their leaders when they are paid to do or be wrong doing.

CRITICAL FOLLOWER

Critical followership is usually the traits of some people who are educated. Those kind of followers usually abide by the rules, but the constructively criticize their leaders. They do not believe in everything their leader tell them. They asked questions. Such traits is usually in practice in developing the world. Critical followership abhors sentiments and appalled objectivity. Critically followership will enable people to vote for a leader based on his performance and not because of his or her religion or ethnic affiliation. Critical followership is the best a nation needs to develop.

RESPONSIBILITY AND FUNCTIONS OF FOLLOWERSHIP

1. OBEDIENCE : one of the major responsibility of all followership is obedience. No leader can succeed if  his or her followers disobey him or her. For example, if a follower decide not to pay tax in a country, it will be difficult for governments to perform various responsibilities that it performs in the society.
2. PEACE AND HARMONY : it is the responsibility of good followers to live in harmony. When there is a breakdown of law and order, as a result of the seminar, the effort of the leaders, no matter how focused, will not read the design results. The religious crisis which have been erupting some countries have been scaring away foreign investors that the government had been inviting to come and invest in the country. Until recently, various crisis in all products and some other region have been a source of concern to some countries in africa. Also, the people are being threatened by some  militants in many country and this did not bring a corporate existence of the country.
3. ABHORRENCE OF CORRUPTION : it is the responsibility of the followers to discourage corruption and uphold discipline. Corruption promotes mediocrity. In other words, it's allowed majority, thereby making it difficult for leaders to perform effectively.
4. SUPPORT TO LEADER : it is also a responsibility of the follower to support their leaders. No leader can succeed if his people do not support him or her. The support comes in various ways that is financial, moral and spiritual. Therefore, a citizen must fulfil his or her financial obligation, such as payment of tax and levies to the nation. A citizen should be able to access or evaluate the leaders. By so doing, they will contribute to the leadership of the community, organisation or country meaningfully. A citizen must, as well, pray for the success of the leader at all time. He or she must understand that nobody attends the position of leadership, except with the consent of God.
5. UNDERSTANDING : it is very important for followers to understand that leaders cannot achieve his goals without some sacrifice on the part of the followers. Therefore, it is through understanding that followers will accept certain shortcomings for the interest of the peace and development of the society. But, if followers do not display understanding based on these facts, the leader may have problems