A review of the three factor model of leadership and its application to followership.

What is it about?

While an enormous amount has been written about leadership, far less has been written about other roles, including follower roles. One way of thinking about leadership is the three factor model. This describes leadership in terms of three elements, namely, relations, task and change behaviours. It is an attractive model because it is both comprehensive and simple to understand. This is the first part of a three part article that explores the application of the three factor leadership model to followers. It outlines previous theory and research on this topic. The three factor model of followership is in line with previous work on followership in three ways. First, it sees being a follower as playing a role. Second, it argues that leadership and followership are inextricably connected. Third, the research findings presented on what it takes to be an effective follower are broadly in line with previous findings on this matter.

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Why is it important?

This review of previous theory and research presents a model of leadership and considers how it can be extended and applied to the study of followership. The second part of the article presents evidence showing that the three factor leadership model can be applied to followership. The third part of the article goes on to apply the leadership model to followership, describing three sets of follower behaviours. Organisations need effective leaders and effective followers. This research shows that the skills of the effective leader develop out of and build on those of the effective follower. This view is a challenge to the widely held pre-occupation with leadership and the cult of the leader.

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