p approaches, but moves beyond them. In this approach to leadership, the leader-subordinate influencing relationship is one where relative power is used to pursue organizational and personal goals (Borins, 2000).
Bennis took a different approach than some other analysts with regard to leadership. Rather than examining corporations, Bennis has interviewed leaders themselves in order to gain insight into their success. Bennis maintains that while the external environment shapes the performance and effectiveness of leaders, there are five traits that all leaders share: they provide direction to their subordinates, they communicate optimism, they are trustworthy, they communicate a shared vision, and they are effective in that they achieve results (Heffes, 2002).
Kanter holds that effective leaders today encourage and foster an environment where innovation is valued, but where the innovation occurs farther down in the organization than in the past. These leaders ensure that their employees have an understanding of the shared goal, and the knowledge that their ideas and applications for achieving that goal are key to the organization's success (Kanter, 2000).
When a leader leaves an organization and another leader steps in (particularly at the CEO level), there are ramifications felt throughout the organization. Succession planning has an impact not only on a company's day-to-day operations, but also on the culture of the organization. Charismatic leaders, in particular, can leave a leadership vacuum when they leave an organization (Shamir, 2001).
A company's ethical environment can be punitive (where employees are punished for wrongdoing after the fact) or positive (where employees are encouraged to act in an ethical manner through positive reinforcement). The ethical stance of a company typically comes from the highest levels, and is reinforced by the culture of the organization. Leaders influence the ethical perfo...