![Default user image.](/themes/custom/lu_theme/images/default_images/usericon.png)
Magnus Larsson
Senior lecturer
![Default user image.](/themes/custom/lu_theme/images/default_images/usericon.png)
The risky path to a followership identity: From abstract concept to situated reality
Author
Summary, in English
Followership research has increased recently, but little attention has been paid to the complexities and challenges of creating a followership identity. Researchers typically portray followership as a safe alternative to leadership identity, but we challenge this assumption by using naturally occurring workplace interactions to identify active contributions as well as risks associated with a follower identity. In this study, we use conversation analysis to examine how people collaboratively construct identities, and how identity development shapes and organizes interactions between people. The findings reveal the risks of misidentifying the task at hand, of being too authoritative, and of claiming too much knowledge. Also, our analyses highlight that leader and follower roles remain abstract in workplace interactions and, instead, people focus more on negotiated, task-oriented, practical identities.
Publishing year
2021-01
Language
English
Pages
3-30
Publication/Series
International Journal of Business Communication
Volume
58
Issue
1
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Topic
- Business Administration
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 2329-4884