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that you most prefer. Explain.
Building bonds with superiors and higher level managers is just as important as managing
subordinates and lower level employees. In order to harness the potential of lower level
5. The chapter describes five ways in which followers need to use courage. Which do you feel
is most important? Least important? How might a follower derive the courage to behave in
new ways to be more effective? Discuss.
Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say the following:
• Most important—assuming responsibility. Followers initiate opportunities for
6. Do you think you would respond better to feedback that is presented using a traditional
scheduled performance review format or feedback that is presented as a routine part of
everyday work activities? Discuss. How do you think leaders should frame negative
feedback to achieve the best results?
Students’ answers may vary. Some of them may say that effective leaders should provide
both positive and negative constructive feedback on an ongoing basis. If someone handles
a difficult task, for instance, the leader should offer feedback on the spot rather than letting
the person wonder how effective he or she was, perhaps imagining the worst.
For best results, leaders should follow these tips on feedback:
• Make it timely—people shouldn’t have to wait for an annual review to know how
6. Describe the strategy for managing up that you most prefer. Explain.
7. Which type of follower courage is easiest for you to use? Hardest for you to use? Can you
think of ways to expand your power for influencing up?
Students’ answers will vary. They may rank the following in order of their preference:
• The courage to assume responsibility
• The courage to challenge
8. One organizational observer suggested that bosses who won’t give negative feedback to
followers who need it cause even more damage in the long run than those who fly off the
handle when a follower makes a mistake. Do you agree? Discuss.
Students’ answers may vary. Some of them may agree with the organizational observer’s
suggestion. Leaders who avoid giving negative feedback “achieve kindness in the short
9. What does leadership coaching mean to you? How should leaders decide which followers
they will provide with coaching?
Students’ answers may vary. Leadership coaching is a method of directing or facilitating a
10. What does it mean for a leader to act as a human shield? Do you believe this should be
part of a leader’s responsibility to followers?
Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that failure is when true leadership
qualities are brought to the fore. A true leader feels it is his responsibility to guide and
Teaching Tools and Exercises
1. Leader’s Bookshelf: Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst
by Robert I. Sutton
In Good Boss, Bad Boss, Stanford professor Robert Sutton reminds us of the cost of bad
bosses to both followers and organizations. He acknowledges the natural tension that
What Good Bosses Do
The following are some examples of what the best bosses do:
• They reduce the risk of self-delusion.
• They don’t let power go to their heads.
• They protect their people.
A key role of a good boss is to act as a “human shield” and protect people from
“meddlesome executives, nosy visitors, unnecessary meetings, and a host of other insults,
intrusions, and time wasters.”
Can We All Be Good Bosses?
Most chapters in Good Boss, Bad Boss include questionnaires that allow readers to apply
the concepts to their own lives and leadership. “If you are a boss,” Sutton reminds the
2. On the Web: “Making Music and Learning Leadership: Cassatt String Quartet,” by Susan
Leshnower, May 2001 at http://leadership.wharton.upenn.edu.
The Wharton Leadership Digest is a monthly electronic bulletin on current research and
writing related to leadership and change management.
3. Read and discuss: Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer, “What Really Motivates
Workers,” Harvard Business Review, (January-February 2010).
Ask leaders what they think makes employees enthusiastic about work, and they’ll tell
you in no uncertain terms. In a recent survey we invited more than 600 managers from
dozens of companies to rank the impact on employee motivation and emotions of five
4. Leadership at Work: Follower Role Play
You are a production supervisor at Hyperlink Systems. Your plant produces circuit
boards that are used in Nokia cell phones and IBM computers. Hyperlink is caught in a
competitive pricing squeeze, so senior management hired a consultant to study the
In Class: The instructor can ask students to volunteer to play the role of the plant
manager and the production supervisor. A few students can take turns role-playing the
production supervisor in front of the class to show different approaches to being a
follower. Other students can be asked to provide feedback on each production
supervisor’s effectiveness and on which approach seems more effective for this situation.
Leadership Development: Cases for Analysis
I. Waiting for Clearance
Synopsis
CEO Tony Bussard apparently wanted to relinquish none of the power when he agreed with
board members of Alvon Biometrics to maintain control over the financial and administrative
side of the company while naming a COO to oversee day-to-day operations. Everyone agreed
fire field officer who looks up to see reinforcements riding into the fray. However, one year into
the job, De la Vega was still wondering what was expected of him and where Bussard’s duties
ended and his duties began. With no clear agreement, De la Vega’s earnest efforts to get
guidance about his responsibilities seemed to be brushed aside by the CEO, who remained
elusive and vague.
Case questions and answers
1. If you were De la Vega, what would you do at this point? Do you think De la Vega has
waited too long to make a substantial change in his relationship with Bussard? Why?
Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that De la Vega should have clarified
his stand the day he was hired. Additionally, he should have had a candid chat with
2. How would you characterize De la Vega’s style as a follower? What tactics might help
improve his relationship with Bussard? Explain.
Students’ answers will vary. Some of them may say that De la Vega seems more inclined
3. If you were in De la Vega’s position, what would you have done from the beginning? Be
specific about your actions and timing.
II. Jake’s Pet Land
Synopsis
Jordan supported Adam’s decision to bend company rules if it meant retaining a loyal customer.
Although the store’s thick policy manual called for strict adherence to established procedures,
Jordan encouraged employees to think independently when meeting the needs of customers.
Case questions and answers
1. Which store manager—Phillip Jordan or Jan Whitall—would you prefer working for? How
did each leader’s style affect the culture of the pet store? Explain.
Students’ answer will vary. Most of them would prefer working for Phillip Jordan
because he empowered his employees and encouraged independent thinking. When a
situation arose such as an item return past the seven-day deadline, he allowed his
employees to handle the situation on a case by case basis even if it meant bending the
rules. In this way an employee could reward a loyal customer with a full refund which in
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2. What kind of follower was Adam Gerrit? In general, what characteristics of followers do
you admire? What characteristics would you want them to display when working for you?
Adam was an effective follower who worked toward a genuine relationship with Phillip,
which included developing trust and speaking honestly on the basis of trust. By building a
3. If you were the district manager, which store manager would you prefer to have working
for you? Why? In your opinion, which manager did a better job of managing up? Which
manager did a better job of managing down?
Students’ answers will vary. Many would prefer to have Phillip working for them
because the store had very little employee turnover, customers were satisfied, and as a
result, profits increased. Phillip did a better job at managing up because effective
Digital Homework Grid
Case Assessment Questions
Topic
Category
Kelly has been part of the
finance team at Creative
Starters for the past three
years. She claims to be a
good team player and an
effective follower. In the
context of followership
styles, which of the
following statements support
her claim?
a. She participates willingly
but without considering the
consequences of what she is
being asked to do.
b. She uses whatever style best
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
In the context of
followership styles, who
among the following people
is a conformist?
a. Sandra is concerned only
with avoiding conflict.
b. Steve focuses exclusively
on the shortcomings of other
people.
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
Karl has been working at the
same organization for the
last six years. During rough
times, he does whatever it
Leadership Challenge #2
Perform
takes to get past the
situation. He uses whatever
followership style that best
benefits his own position and
minimizes risk. According to
the five followership styles,
Karl is a(n) _____.
a. alienated follower
Homework Questions
Topic
Category
Which of the following
statements is true of
followership?
a. Followers like working for
leaders who have influence
with their superiors.
b. Most people are more often
leaders than followers.
Leadership Challenge #1
Connect
You head the marketing team
of Media Me Inc. Being
aware of the five styles of
followership as a leader, you
have to identify each style.
Mentioned below are the
descriptions of each. Drag
and drop the answer options
into their corresponding
columns illustrated in the
table below.
Answer Options: Is a person
who is an independent, critical
thinker but is passive in the
organization/ Is a follower
who participates actively in
the organization but does not
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
utilize critical thinking skills
in his or her task behavior/ Is a
follower who has qualities of
all four extremes depending
on which style fits with the
Ali
ena
ted
Foll
ow
er
Co
nfo
rmi
st
Pra
gm
atic
Sur
viv
or
Pas
siv
e
Foll
ow
er
Eff
ecti
ve
Foll
ow
er
You are aware of the two
styles of thinking:
dependent, uncritical thinker
and independent, critical
Follower
Type
Thinking
Style
Alienated
Follower
Conformist
Passive
Follower
Effective
Follower
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
In the context of
followership styles, which of
the following is a defining
characteristic of an effective
follower?
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
a. They have the courage to
put themselves at risk or in
conflict with others.
b. They carry out any and all
In the context of
followership styles, a(n)
_____ uses whatever style
best benefits his or her own
position and minimizes risk.
a. passive follower
Leadership Challenge #2
Connect
Effective followers:
a. presume that a leader will
provide them with security.
Leadership Challenge #3
Connect
You are aware of the several
sources of power that can be
used by followers to manage
up. Mentioned below are the
different sources of upward
influence. Drag and drop the
answer options into their
corresponding columns
illustrated in the table below.
Answer Options: Knowledge,
skills/ Network of
relationships / Persuasion/
Designation / Central location/
Leadership Challenge #4
Connect
Expertise / Effort/ Flow of
information
Personal
Sources
Position
Sources
The _____ requires
followers not to sacrifice
their personal integrity or the
good of the organization in
order to maintain harmony.
a. courage to serve
b. courage to leave
c. courage to challenge
d. courage to assume
responsibility
Leadership Challenge #4
Connect
Mentioned below are the
different ways to view one’s
leader realistically and to
become a resource for the
leader. Drag and drop the
answer options into their
corresponding columns
illustrated in the table below.
View the
Leader
Realistically
Be a
Resource for
the Leader
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
By _____, followers can be a
resource of strength and
support for the leader.
a. accepting that leaders are
fallible
b. understanding the goals of
the organization
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Accepting that leaders are
fallible helps in:
a. giving effective, timely
feedback.
b. leadership coaching.
c. becoming a resource to the
leader.
d. viewing the leader
realistically.
Leadership Challenge #5
Connect
Leaders want followers who:
a. expect leaders to drive their
growth.
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
Clarifying direction:
a. occurs when a leader uses
evaluation and communication
to help individuals learn about
themselves and improve.
b. involves giving advice on
handling specific
organizational situations.
c. includes helping followers
see how their own individual
Leadership Challenge #6
Connect
