A study on followership attributes among supervisors of selected schools in Maldives

Abstract

This study examines the followership styles of supervisors in primary and secondary schools in Maldives. The sample for this study was 207 supervisors, consisting of 100 (49%) females and 107 (51%) males. A quantitative survey method was used in this study, and a convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants. The main objectives of the study were to find out how supervisors working in the middle management of Maldivian primary and secondary schools perceive their followership characteristics; to find out the dominant followership styles among supervisors of primary and secondary schools; and to find out whether there is any relationship between the followership styles of supervisors and the leadership styles of school principals. The Kelleys (1992) Followership Survey questionnaire, and the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ)- an adapted version from the Ohio State studies (Northouse, 2007), were combined to form the instrument for data collection in this study. The results of the study revealed that supervisors perceptions of their followership characteristics of independent and critical thinking as well as active engagement were very high (between 33 and 50 from the Kelleys followership grid). The dominant followership styles among supervisors were the exemplary and pragmatist followership styles. The Pearson products moments correlation showed a weak positive correlation between active engagement of supervisors and people oriented leadership style as well as task oriented leadership style. However, the results of the study showed that there is no correlation between the independent and critical thinking of supervisors, and the leadership styles of the school principals. Differences between the followership scores of active engagement and independent critical thinking of supervisors were examined with respect to their demographic and background factors such as educational qualifications, pay satisfaction, satisfaction with the work environment, as well as cooperation they received from colleagues and parents. The results of independent samples t-test done on cooperation of colleagues and parents and the supervisors active engagement, showed a statistically significant difference in the active engagement scores of those who felt that they received cooperation and those who felt that they did not receive cooperation from colleagues and parents.