Followership in higher education: Academic teachers and their formal leaders

Jennie Billot; Deborah West; Lana Khong; Christina Skorobohacz; Torgny Roxå; Shannon Murray; Barbara Gayle

doi:10.20343/teachlearninqu.1.2.91

Authors

Jennie Billot AUT University
Deborah West Charles Darwin University
Lana Khong Nanyang Technological University
Christina Skorobohacz Brock University
Torgny Roxå Lund University
Shannon Murray University of Prince Edward Island
Barbara Gayle Viterbo University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.1.2.91

Keywords:

fellowship, academic leadership, narratives, relational spaces

Abstract

The concept of followership in higher education has been given limited attention despite the fact that followers are key players in the follower/leader equation and that leadership is increasingly seen as vital to improving the student learning experience. This paper explores this concept, reporting on the findings of a qualitative study underpinned by a socio-constructivist framework. Thirty-eight narratives describing the experience of being a follower and interacting with a formal leader were collected from academic teachers in seven institutions worldwide and analysed using inductive content analysis. The richness of the narratives collected illustrates the intricate relationship formed by the followership/leadership interaction. The results affirm the premise that, just as teachers are defined by their students’ learning, leaders are defined by their followers’ engagement. However, some teachers also display a strong reluctance towards the very idea of being a follower in academia where critical and independent thinking form the backbone of all practices. Negotiation, responsibility, and mutual respect appear essential aspects of any form of followership/leadership interaction as it directly or indirectly influences student learning and personal development. The research presented suggests that, in challenging times, academic leaders must attend to the characteristics and needs of their followers.

Author Biographies

Jennie Billot, AUT University

Jennie Billot, PhD, is the Postgraduate Research Education Leader at AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand.

Deborah West, Charles Darwin University

Deborah West is the Director of the Office of Learning and Teaching at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Lana Khong, Nanyang Technological University

Lana Khong is a Lecturer in the Policy and Leadership Studies Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore.

Christina Skorobohacz, Brock University

Christina Skorobohacz is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at Brock University, Ontario, Canada.

Torgny Roxå, Lund University

Torgny Roxå is an Academic Developer at Lund University, Sweden, and ISSOTL Vice President for European Countries.

Shannon Murray, University of Prince Edward Island

Shannon Murray is a Professor and 3M National Teaching Fellow in the Department of English at University of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Barbara Gayle, Viterbo University

Barbara Mae Gayle, PhD, is the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies at Viterbo University, USA.

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