Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Human Relations
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (9)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Vanderslice, V. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Separating Leadership from Leaders: An Assessment of the Effect of Leader and Follower Roles in Organizations

Virginia J. Vanderslice

University of Pennsylvania; PACE, 2100 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.

Findings reported in the research literature concerned with labeling, status and communication in groups, power, expertise, responsibility, and resistance support the position that leader-follower distinctions in organizations are likely to undermine the very goals they are established to achieve. Rather than being inspired by leaders to do their best, it is likely that followers will either limit themselves to status-appropriate behaviors or resist their low power roles. A case study is presented describing one organization's comprehensive set of internal structures that allows them to successfully fulfill leadership functions without creating leader roles. By drawing comparisons between this organization and another enterprise that has a flat structure, some preliminary suggestions regarding necessary conditions for the success of leaderless organizational structures are made. The implications for behavioral scientists are discussed.

Human Relations, Vol. 41, No. 9, 677-696 (1988)
DOI: 10.1177/001872678804100903
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Human RelationsHome page
G. Currie, A. Lockett, and O. Suhomlinova
The institutionalization of distributed leadership: A 'Catch-22' in English public services
Human Relations, November 1, 2009; 62(11): 1735 - 1761.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Educational Management Administration LeadershipHome page
P. A. Woods and P. Gronn
Nurturing Democracy: The Contribution of Distributed Leadership to a Democratic Organizational Landscape
Educational Management Administration Leadership, July 1, 2009; 37(4): 430 - 451.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Journal of Leadership and Organizational StudiesHome page
S. D. Baker
Followership: The Theoretical Foundation of a Contemporary Construct
Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, August 1, 2007; 14(1): 50 - 60.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 LeadershipHome page
A. M. Jones
The Anthropology of Leadership: Culture and Corporate Leadership in the American South
Leadership, September 1, 2005; 1(3): 259 - 278.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 LeadershipHome page
E. Dunn
Book Review: Creating Leaderful Organizations: How to Bring Out Leadership in Everyone
Leadership, June 1, 2005; 1(2): 251 - 255.
[PDF]