What Foll owers Want from Their Leaders: An Analytical Perspectives

Abstract

Many researchers and others interested in the field of leadership have written aboutthe characteristics and styles of leadership; however, few have written about whatfollowers want from their leaders. This paper addresses the issue of what followersdesire in those they follow, it will assert that the basic characteristics followerswant from their leaders are Honesty, Forward-Looking, Inspiring, and Competency.Also, followers want to trust in their leaders and they want leaders who care aboutthem, which is shown in the leaders seeing the followers as partners. This paper alsocompares what international studies found about this leader-follower dynamic witha study made by Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administracion - CESA whereleaders were asked about the main characteristics of an organizational leader.The analysis shows that followers want to commit to their leaders. They want toknow that there is a relationship between them. As mentioned by Winston (2002),the relationship between leader and follower has to have the same commitment thatexists between husband and wife.In addition, this paper presents the conceptual framework of the analysis and theleadership models that fit more with what followers want from their leaders whichare Transformational and Charismatic leadership