Follower-Oriented Leadership

Authors

James M. Kouzes
Barry Z. Posner, Santa Clara UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2004

Publisher

Sage Publications

Abstract

Leadership is a symbiotic relationship between those who choose to lead and those who choose to follow. Any di scussion of leadership must attend to the dynamics of this relationship. Strategies, tactics, skills, and practices are worthless unless the fundamental human aspirations that connect leaders and their constituents are understood (the word constituents is preferred to followers because the former connotes a greater sense of engagement and commitment than the latter term). What leaders say they do is one thing; what constituents say they want and how well leaders meet these expectations is another. For a balanced view of leadership, one must consider the expectations that people have of their leaders: What do they look for and admire in a person they would willingly follow?

Chapter of

Encyclopedia of Leadership

Editor

J.M. Burns
G.R. Goethas
G. J. Sorenson

Comments

Copyright © 2004 Sage Publications. Reprinted with permission.

Recommended Citation

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2004) "Follower-Oriented Leadership" in Encyclopedia of Leadership, J.M. Burns, G.R. Goethas, & G. J. Sorenson (eds.), Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing.