Purpose This study explores how followers in a complex public sector organisation construct and enact followership. It aims to deepen understanding of followers' implicit followership theories (FIFTs) and how belief–behaviour alignment is shaped by organisational dynamics, with implications for leadership development and organisational functioning. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was employed, using 27 semi-structured interviews with employees in subordinate roles in a large South African metropolitan municipality. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in beliefs, behaviours and contextual influences across micro, meso and macro levels. Findings Participants articulated multidimensional beliefs about ideal followership, including self-, organisation- and leader-focussed orientations. However, the extent to which these beliefs could be enacted was shaped by contextual enablers and constraints. Proactive, self-focussed orientations were more consistently enacted, while organisational complexity – including political oversight, hierarchical bureaucracy and complex, overlapping accountability structures – constrained the enactment of other orientations. Originality/value This study contributes to followership theory in three ways. It extends followers’ implicit followership theory research by examining how followership beliefs are translated into enactment under conditions of organisational complexity. By interpreting belief orientations through a co-production lens, it refines how co-production strength is expressed in a hierarchical, politicised public sector setting. It also develops a multilevel (micro–meso–macro) conceptual model of the enablers and constraints shaping belief–behaviour alignment.

Orientation:  Policy uncertainty imposes real economic costs. South African policymakers and business analysts now have access to two concurrently published indices: the perceptions-based North-West University Policy Uncertainty Index (PUI) and the Phronesis Analytics Expressed Policy Uncertainty Index (EPUI). Both claim to measure policy uncertainty, but they use different methods and information sources. No prior study has characterised when and why they diverge. Research purpose:  This article provides the first quantitative characterisation of co-movement and divergence between the PUI and EPUI over their overlap period (2015Q3–2021Q4). Motivation for the study:  The aim is to identify the conditions under which each index provides distinct information, enabling practitioners to make informed decisions about which index to monitor for specific purposes. Research approach/design and method:  We compare the two indices using  z -score standardisation, cross-correlation functions, Granger causality tests and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. Main findings:  The two indices are weakly correlated ( r  = −0.18), confirming they capture different dimensions of policy uncertainty. The PUI shows a significant negative relationship with business confidence ( r  = −0.48,  p  < 0.05) and leads business confidence by one to two quarters. The EPUI does not show a comparable pattern. The 2016Q3 episode illustrates the practical stakes: the PUI and EPUI gave contradictory signals that quarter, and an analyst relying on either index alone would have received an incomplete picture. Practical/managerial implications:  Practitioners should monitor both indices simultaneously. When they diverge, the divergence itself carries information about the mismatch between expressed and perceived uncertainty. Contribution/value-add:  This article provides the first quantitative comparison of the PUI and EPUI, characterises their divergence patterns and enables informed index selection.

Leadership studies have long been dominated by Western paradigms, often overlooking the diverse cultural, political, and socio-historical contexts that define leadership in Africa. Scholars have increasingly acknowledged the need to decolonise leadership studies, advocating for a more representative and inclusive approach that integrates African perspectives. Decolonisation in this context refers not only to addressing historical biases but also to creating frameworks that are rooted in African realities, traditions, and philosophies. This paper asks: to what extent has leadership scholarship moved beyond Western-centric frameworks to meaningfully integrate African perspectives? To address this question, 72 English-language, peer-reviewed articles on African leadership published between 2012 and 2022 were reviewed. The analysis reveals a growing, albeit uneven, engagement with African leadership paradigms, the enduring impact of colonialism, and the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge and philosophies such as Ubuntu into conceptualisations of leadership. Conceptual advances have consistently outpaced institutional and developmental change, and the field’s reliance on a small number of indigenous frameworks risks reproducing the reductive tendencies it seeks to displace. The study’s restriction to English-language publications also means that leadership perspectives from Francophone and Arabic-speaking Africa, including North Africa and the Maghreb, remain largely absent from the analysis. These findings contribute to ongoing scholarly debates on the decolonisation of leadership knowledge and offer an evaluative assessment of how far that effort has progressed. They also carry implications for cross-cultural management scholarship, which can only offer a fuller account of how leadership operates across cultural contexts by engaging African perspectives as independent sources of leadership knowledge.

Researchers at artificial intelligence labs and universities are concerned that highly capable artificial intelligence (AI) systems may erode human control by pursuing instrumental goals. Existing mitigations remain largely technical and system-centric: tracking capability in advanced systems, shaping behaviour through methods such as reinforcement learning from human feedback, and designing systems to be corrigible and interruptible. This article is a conceptual contribution to this debate. We develop instrumental goal trajectories to expand these options beyond the model. Gaining capability typically depends on access to additional technical resources, such as compute, storage, data and adjacent services, which in turn requires access to monetary resources. In organisations, these resources can be obtained through three organisational pathways. We label these pathways the procurement, governance and finance instrumental goal trajectories (IGTs). Each IGT can produce a trail of organisational artefacts that can be monitored and used as intervention points when a system’s capabilities or behaviour exceed acceptable thresholds. In this way, IGTs could offer concrete avenues for defining capability levels and for broadening how corrigibility and interruptibility are implemented, shifting attention from model properties alone to the organisational systems that enable them.

Introduction Followership training for nurses is critical because it improves the nurse leader–follower dyad, healthcare team functioning, and patient outcomes. However, leadership training has traditionally received priority in healthcare, and the follower role has been neglected. The reason is that followership is classified as passive role that requires no development. Aim The aim of the research was to develop a followership innovation implementation strategy for nurses working in a hospital. Methods We adopted implementation research using an explorative descriptive qualitative design. Data were collected through a stakeholder analysis workshop from ten purposively selected stakeholders. The workshop was audio-recorded and data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. Insights from stakeholders were incorporated into thematic areas adapted from the domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Implementation Research Logic Model. Results The innovation was a followership training programme for nurses, and the inner context was the selected hospital where training would be implemented. The external setting comprised the university, higher education council, and nursing council that would partner with the hospital during implementation. Individuals included the research team, hospital in-service department, and nurses who would receive training. The implementation process incorporated a pre-implementation plan. Conclusion Implementation research frameworks are instrumental in developing evidence-based implementation strategies in the nursing discipline. Successful implementation of the followership innovation can promote collaboration between nurse leaders and followers. Future research needs to implement and investigate the impact of the followership innovation among nurses.

Background Historically, organisational success has been credited solely to leadership activities. However, it is important to recognize that leaders collaborate with followers to achieve desired outcomes. In order for followers to effectively in their roles, they must undergo development. Nursing followership development is crucial for nurse followers to enhance leadership and contribute to positive patient outcomes. Despite its significance, there is currently no universally accepted definition of nursing followership development. Aim This study developed a clear definition of nursing followership development. Methods Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis was utilized, following the eight steps. Results Nine studies were included in the analysis, identifying four key attributes: learning, self-awareness, self-regulation, and engagement. Antecedents such as organisational intentionality, authentic leadership, and culture change were found to influence these attributes, with consequences that complemented them. The concept of nursing followership development involves teaching and learning effective followership principles to enhance collaboration between nurses and leaders, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Conclusion and Implementations The clarity of the concept will help in its application in nursing literature and could improve the development of structured followership training programmes for nurses.

Introduction Training both leaders and followers on how they can improve their roles enhances organisational performance. Focusing on followership development produces followers who are empowered and understand that productivity is the responsibility for everyone in the organisational strata. Aim To validate and reach expert consensus on a followership training innovation for nurses working in a hospital. Materials and methods A modified e-Delphi technique was adopted to solicit opinion from 16 purposively selected experts in nursing education, nursing management, organisational leadership, and followership. Two rounds of the Delphi were conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed via a Google form. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data in both rounds. Thematic analysis was used to analyse written comments from experts. Results The response rate was 100% (n = 16/16) in round 1 and 75% (n = 12/16) in round 2. The overall impression of the innovation reached a consensus level of 0.93. The overall consensus of the content of the innovation was 0.90 in round 1 and 0.88 in round 2. The experts’ comments and suggestions for adding items on the innovation were incorporated in round 2. Conclusion Experts reached consensus on 5 criteria regarding the overall impression and 17 criteria on the content of the followership training innovation. Future research needs to implement the followership training innovation for nurses in hospital settings. Implications Nurse leaders need to facilitate the implementation of followership training for nurses to develop effective followers.

Introduction The success of healthcare organizations depends on partnerships between leaders and followers. Nurses need to be competent in both leader and follower roles because leader–follower relationships in nursing are interdependent rather than linear. However, nursing followership has been understudied. Aim To explore nurse leaders’ perceptions of existing followership practices. Materials and methods This descriptive qualitative study purposively selected 10 nurse leaders (top and middle management). Face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s method. Findings Participants perceived followership as a hierarchical role but were able to describe the characteristics of the “ideal” follower. Participants described the presence of leadership and follower support while functioning in the follower role. However, lack of leadership supervision and poor teamwork were reported to negatively influence the follower role. There was no formal followership training for participants to become effective followers. Moreover, nurse leaders lacked leadership knowledge and skills as they did not receive formal training while still followers. Conclusions Followership education can dismantle the hierarchical view of the follower role. Leadership and follower support enhances follower role performance. Future research should explore followership development needs for nurses in hospital settings. Implication for nursing management Lack of understanding the follower role is a limitation in healthcare teams. Nurse managers need to understand followership as a complimentary role to leadership and provide support to followers.

<b>Introduction:</b> Followership is a critical aspect of leadership because, without followers, there can be no leaders. To be successful, organizations must develop high-performance, self-developed, and self-led followers with specific values. However, organizations have traditionally prioritized developing leaders, leaving out followers in the development equation. Followership development allows nurses to learn how to work effectively in teams, fostering teamwork skills. <b>Aim:</b> To explore nurse leaders' perceptions of followership development needs. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> A descriptive qualitative design was used. Data were collected via face-to-face, semistructured, in-depth interviews with 10 purposively selected nurse leaders (middle and top management). The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed via Braun and Clarke's approach. <b>Findings:</b> Participants emphasized the need for followership education for nurses. Followership should be incorporated into undergraduate nursing curricula and in-service training. Additionally, participants verbalized the need for a followership development program that should train nurse followers in communication, interprofessional collaboration, decision-making, team building, teamwork, and leadership. The participants suggested that followership could be developed by providing incentives for good followership behavior and conducting periodic performance appraisals. <b>Conclusion:</b> The participants emphasized the importance of a followership development program, which may enhance the relationship between nurse leaders and followers and contribute to positive patient outcomes. Future research needs to develop programs to develop nurses who are followers. <b>Implications for Nursing Management:</b> Developing followers in a hospital setting is critical. Understanding needs and what a followership program should include assists nurse leaders in planning and implementing relevant programs.

Abstract To effectively address the grand challenges facing humanity, as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), society needs to harness talents, realise human potential and build capabilities in people and systems to navigate the associated complexities. In contributing to SDG 4, universities play a critical role in building impactful capabilities at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as through their core functions of teaching, learning, research and public engagement. ‘Impact’ in this context refers to meeting the needs of diverse students and those of local, regional and global communities. In a changing world with changing societal expectations, the pursuit of relevance is also likely to them more competitive and attractive to students. The Global Association of Master’s in Development Practice (MDP) provides an important avenue for illustrating how universities can contribute to achieving SDG 4. This is hinged primarily on building young professionals’ capacity to address the challenges articulated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this chapter, the development of an MDP degree programme at the University of Pretoria (UP) – within the ambit of its membership to the Global Association of MDP – is used as a case study to illustrate how this explicitly multidisciplinary programme can support the development of leadership capabilities that are needed to achieve the SDGs. The chapter includes theoretical perspectives as well reflections from a student and a supervisor who participated in the programme.

Integrating the temporal dimension of reality into the philosophical foundations of leadership theory remains a challenge. To address this challenge, this conceptual article uses the process-philosophical concept of the event to explore ways in which to reframe understanding of leadership by taking time seriously. It builds on existing work, particularly the research conducted by Ladkin and Wood, by highlighting two implications. Firstly, the process philosophy of the event makes it possible to conceive of leadership as a fluid phenomenon that essentially serves as an abstraction derived from concrete influential events. Secondly, and relatedly, leadership as a temporal abstraction is relational in at least three respects.

This chapter develops the view that the relational turn in the social sciences finds a dialogue partner in the relational ontologies of some more collectivistic cultures. Ubuntu, as such a relational ontology from some regions and traditions in Africa, considers human beings to be relationally constituted, rather than seeing relations as a secondary result of individual agency or societal systems. While cautioning against uncritical readings of Ubuntu, the chapter explores the relational approach to cultural commonalities in relation to the African value of Ubuntu. Specifically, the desire to explore and create cultural commonalities for the purpose of enhancing cooperation in contexts of diversity is discussed from a collective perspective on commonalities, viewing Ubuntu as a relational ontology with a resulting ethic.

In Why Leaders Fail and What It Teaches Us About Leadership, Willem Fourie helps us make sense of leaders' failures and why our expectation of leadership infallibility is misguided. Whereas some leadership failures can be rectified, others lead to the failure of teams, organisations, or institutions. Using cutting-edge research and reflective practices, Fourie explores leaders' failure at these personal, interpersonal, group, and organisational levels and beyond. He explores five factors that cause leaders to fail: Ignorance of personal weaknesses Overconfidence in their influence over others Destructive in-group bias Bad fit in their organisation Misjudged risk Ignorance of personal weaknesses Overconfidence in their influence over others Destructive in-group bias Bad fit in their organisation Misjudged risk The author shows that our heroic bias – the expectation that leaders should be exceptional, charismatic individuals with a higher level of agency than other people – often increases the chances of leaders failing. The book offers readers the tools to understand and respond to leader failure, distilled into seven lessons for post-heroic leaders. This is an ideal book for students and researchers in leadership, leadership development, and management as well as professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills.

Purpose Over time, the role of followers within leadership discourse has gained greater status, leading to followers being acknowledged as significant actors in the leadership process. This has led to the development of follower-centric leadership studies, as well as the more emergent research area of followership, with followership research having the specific intention to find out about followers from the perspective of followers. In this paper, the authors provide a review of role-based followership approaches, and implicit leadership and followership theories as a basis to build a case for follower implicit followership theories (FIFTs) as a focus area for future research. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a review of seminal and current role-based followership literature, with a specific focus on FIFTs and followership studies conducted within the African context. Findings Implicit theories have been an area of leadership research that has added much value, and as such could do the same for development of followership research. FIFTs as a research area are nascent and, as such, should continue to be explored in order to expand our understanding of followership. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first literature reviews to have a specific focus on FIFTs, as well as on followership research conducted within the African context.

Purpose Even though every decision a leader makes carries an element of risk, no review on the topic of leadership and risk has appeared in highly-ranked management journals in the past 20 years. This is in contrast to the discipline of psychology in which leadership and risk receives considerable attention, particularly in the field of heroism studies. In the context of the established body of research on the topic of leadership and risk in the discipline of psychology, this review therefore explores the research on leadership and risk in highly-ranked management studies’ journals. Design/methodology/approach The review was conducted in five stages. During phase 1, journal rankings were used as basis to determine which highly-ranked journals to include in the review. Phase 2 focused on identifying all relevant articles in the journals included in our review. We searched for articles published from 2000 to 2021 with the words “risk” or “danger” and “leader” or “leadership” in their abstracts. In phase 3, the author analysed the abstracts of the articles in depth to determine whether the keywords were included on the basis of an explicit scholarly reflection or research on leadership and risk. Phase 4 focused on analysing articles' treatment of leadership and risk, and assigning key words and key phrases. Finally, during phase 5 key words and key phrases were clustered together thematically. Findings This study analysis yielded six thematic clusters. The first two clusters – on risk appetite of followers and leaders – are closely related. In total, 12 journal articles explored these themes. The remaining thematic clusters contain four and seven articles each. These clusters are risk, creativity and innovation; risk and failure; risk in dangerous contexts; and risk and gender. Nine of the selected articles did not fit in any of the thematic clusters. Originality/value The review reveals a significant lack of research on leadership and risk in highly-ranked management studies’ journals. The author found that the topic of leadership and risk is approached in a binary fashion: successful leaders are viewed as using risk to drive innovation and unsuccessful leaders fail because of risk. The author argues that the heroic bias in leadership research could be partly blamed for this binarism. In practical terms, the author highlights that the growing importance of chief risk officers – leaders appointed to deal with company risk – indicates a clear need for research on leadership and risk in general management studies’ journals.

Leadership is inextricably intertwined with the notion of influence. When examining the most prominent contemporary approaches to leadership, notably neo‐charismatic leadership theories, trait‐based approaches to leadership and leader‐member exchange theories, the factors that determine leaders' influence are sought in the individual leader. This paper uses social identity approaches to leadership as a basis for constructing a conceptual argument for investigating factors beyond the individual leader that impact on leaders' influence. We focus on group‐level factors that impact on leader influence. Using a minimal definition of social groups as point of orientation and framed by the philosophy of social constructionism, we show that two factors beyond the individual leader can be identified: group entitativity, or ‘groupiness’, is identified as a group‐level factor, and group identification is identified as a member‐level factor. This research contributes to a wider understanding of leader effectiveness by devoting closer attention to the effect of group dynamics on leader influence .

Responsible leadership theory (RLT), an evolving and emergent leadership theory, is being recommended when developing and implementing projects across sectors. This is due to its elemental social and relational nature and its focus on social capital, ethical and responsible relationships. To meet their development objectives, countries especially in Africa need to, among other efforts, improve their population’s access to clean energy. Invariably the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require systems thinking and collaborative and effective leadership. Using an exploratory qualitative research approach and the UNDP Botswana Biogas project as a case study, this chapter focuses on identifying the leadership capacities demonstrated in the project and explores the extent to which these capacities conform to the constructs of RLT. The project is intended to promote the production and utilisation of biogas a clean energy source, contributing to the achievement of SDG 7. The key findings of the study are that the leaders interviewed understand RLT attributes and competencies and apply responsible leadership capacities in their development practice. This chapter recommends that for inclusive growth to be achieved in the African development context, governance and leadership need to be transformative and shared with collective problem-solving integrated in development practice.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require the National Statistics System to reconsider the ways in which it organises the collection of statistics. In South Africa the SDGs are perceived to have posed a disruptive challenge to Statistics South Africa, the key institution in South Africa’s National Statistics System (SANSS). This study identifies the leadership capacities that enabled a successful response to the SDGs by the SANSS. It uses a single case study approach to identify these capacities, focusing on the trait and the neoclassical schools of leadership. The study examines the range of perceptions of the leadership capacities displayed between 2015 and 2017 and between 2017 and 2019 by two different leaders. These perceptions were collected through discussions with the two leaders themselves, a peer as well as three followers, and then analysed through a structured coding system. The frequency of occurrences of perceived capacities was subsequently linked with the two leadership theories. The study found that different leadership capacities were prominent during the two periods. The capacities associated with the trait leadership school were successfully used during the implementation period of the response to the SDGs, whereas the second maintenance period demonstrated capacities associated with the neoclassical school. The study concludes that different capacities are required at different stages of a successful response.