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ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Qualities of leadership

Ingrid, finance director of Kestrel Pharma, challenges the CEO's plan to book early revenue, citing accounting standards, and offers an alternative approach that meets the targets. She then implements the agreed approach fully. Which followership style best describes Ingrid?

Ingrid is an exemplary follower. She combines independent critical thinking, shown by challenging the revenue plan on technical grounds and offering an alternative, with active engagement, shown by fully implementing the agreed approach. Conformists do not challenge, and alienated followers are critical but withdraw from active contribution.

  1. AConformist follower, because she ultimately implements the CEO's decision
  2. BExemplary follower, because she thinks critically and is also actively engagedCorrect
  3. CAlienated follower, because she questions the CEO's plan
  4. DPragmatic follower, because she adapts to whichever outcome is safest

Explanation

Exemplary followers combine independent critical thinking with active engagement. Ingrid challenges on technical grounds, proposes a solution and then commits to it. A conformist would not challenge, and an alienated follower would stay critical but disengaged.

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