What qualities do effective followers have? One writer focuses on four:^32- They manage themselves well. They are able to think for themselves. They can
work independently and without close supervision. - They are committed to a purpose outside themselves.Effective followers are com-
mitted to something—a cause, a product, a work team, an organization, an
idea—in addition to the care of their own lives. Most people like working
with colleagues who are emotionally, as well as physically, committed to their
work. - They build their competence and focus their efforts for maximum impact.Effective
followers master skills that will be useful to their organizations, and they hold
higher performance standards than their jobs or work groups require. - They are courageous, honest, and credible.Effective followers establish themselves
as independent, critical thinkers whose knowledge and judgment can be
trusted. They hold high ethical standards, give credit where credit is due, and
are not afraid to own up to their mistakes.
These points suggest that there is a relationship between leadership and follower-
ship, and that taking responsibility for one’s own behaviour is beneficial for both one’s
self and the organization.
INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP
As people around the world watched the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina from the safety of their
homes, many wondered, Why isn’t anyone sending in food or water? The implicit question
people were asking was, Why wasn’t someone just taking charge and doing something rather
than waiting for others to act? Both New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana governor
Kathleen Blanco were quick to criticize President Bush, and the president’s staff just as quickly
tried to explain that it was not the role of the federal government to be the first responder. People
who lead with vision do not wonder why someone else is not acting—rather, they make sure
action is taken. Without pointing any fingers of blame, it is easy to see that in the early days after
the levees broke, none of the official leaders was prepared to rise to the occasion and lead
with vision. What does it take for a person to lead with vision? What characteristics does such
a person need?The leadership theories that we have discussed were developed at a time when most organ-
izations were structured in traditional hierarchies where there were classic lines of command.
While this form still dominates in Canada’s “Most Respected Corporations,”^33 there are
organizations trying to be innovative, faster moving, and more responsive to employees who
are highly educated and intelligent, and who want more say in the workplace. Thus, new
styles of leadership are evolving to meet the demands of these organizations. The more
recent approaches to leadership move away from the supervisory tasks of leaders and focus
on vision-setting activities. Today, leadership theories also try to explain how certain lead-
ers can achieve extraordinary levels of performance from their followers, and they stress sym-
bolic and emotionally appealing leadership behaviours.^34 In what follows we consider
transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and charismatic leadership.From Transactional to Transformational Leadership
Most of the leadership theories presented thus far in this chapter have concerned trans-
actional leaders. Such leaders guide or motivate their followers in the direction of
established goals by clarifying role and task requirements. In some styles of transac-
tional leadership, the leader uses rewarding and recognizing behaviours. This approach
results in performance that meets expectations, though rarely does one see results that268 Part 4Sharing the Organizational Vision
3 How does a leader
lead with vision?transactional leaders Leaders
who guide or motivate their follow-
ers in the direction of established
goals by clarifying role and task
requirements.