Academic leadership in higher education is a characteristic that developed through experience, rather than solely due to talent. Normally, the leaders never thought of themselves as a leader, until they slowly became one. Along their career pathway, they undertook responsibilities given little by little, overcame hurdles, committed to achieving success, none other than for the benefit of the organization.
Leaders, as described by John Maxwell, being followed according to their leadership levels. Some of them are followed due to their positions, in which described as the minimum level. Some of them, who have good relationships, are followed because the others want to follow them. Some, who are higher in the leaderships levels, are followed because of what they have done for the organization, or we can say, the result they produced. Higher, people follow the leaders because of what the leaders had done for them, means that the followers appreciate the contribution of the leaders to each of them personally. And, at the pinnacle level, the followers follow the leaders because of who they are and what they represent, in other words, out of respect for the leaders.
Along the way, we should understand that the undertaking responsibilities given to us is the process for us to grow our leadership in the future. It is up to us, bearing the responsibility, whether we want to grow as someone who is being followed because of a position given, or we wish to become someone who leads because of the respect that others have for us.
Reference:
https://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/the-5-levels-of-leadership1/