Leadership Development; The Leader-Follower Relationship

Throughout history, humanity has nominated individuals anticipated to have greatpotential and capability to lead (Van Vugt, 2006). Even in the Bible, the Israelites called out for a king and Samuel was directed to anoint Saul their first king (King James Version, 2012). The need for a leader was not because they felt they could not make decisions for themselves but they needed an individual who could make decisions for the whole nation. They needed a leader to offer guidance and responsibility for the harder choices that civilisations would have to go through as a whole (Barnett, 1990). Questions pertaining to the welfare of the whole need one individual with the final say. Do we go to war Do we move the colony Is this right or wrong for the whole The questions that affect the whole were and still are the major causes of disagreement amongst peers. Hence, the concept of leadership was born. Leaders lead and bear the burden of decision making for the whole and followers that follow them trust in their abilityto make the best decisions. (Van Vugt, 2006).