ABSTRACT
Leadership experts have long argued for consultation among leaders and followers when conditions permit, usually when the problem is complex, expertise is widely distributed among the members of a group, and there is time for deliberation. The subordinate is a follower who does what he or she is told—competent at a satisfactory level but not one to whom the organization looks for leadership or to whom challenging assignments are given. Contributors pose a leadership challenge to develop them into contributing and engaged organization citizens. The politician gives more attention to managing relationships than to maximizing performance. Partners are those who have competence and energy to do the job that they are assigned but who are also attentive to the purpose of the organization. Those leaders who share their own thinking about why they do what they do and push their followers to think with them about why things work the way they do also push their followers to become partners.
