Following the leader or following the follower: subordinates as influential agents of managers' behaviors

The prevailing perspective that leaders are the main agents of influence of followers’ behavior is an overly simplistic and incomplete assessment of the interactions between leaders and followers. The present research attempts to “reverse the lens” and establish that subordinates can and do significantly influence managers’ behaviors. Specifically, I focus on how the power of a subordinate influences a manager’s self-interested behaviors. Additionally, I explore the perceived necessity of a leader as a context where a manager’s behavior may be particularly susceptible to granting subordinates’ requests. Results indicate that the salience of a high-power subordinate, as compared to a low-power subordinate, influences managers to engage in less self-interested behaviors and be more susceptible to granting subordinates’ requests in an attempt to maintain their identity and influence as a leader. I examine this phenomenon through a series of seven experiments.