In Questioning leadership: an integrative model by Michael Harvey, I was interested by the question “Where are We?”. When thinking of leaders and followers, many of us don’t necessarily consider our present situation. The example of 9/11 was impactful because it marked a transformative change in the U.S. and across the world. People, who we thought could not cause harm, did cause harm in a manner untraditional to us. No one considered that a hijacker of a plane was interested in islamic extremism. This event showed the common interests and values that all American’s had; however, it showed that many unethical activities would follow. The torture of people believed to have a connection with Al-Qaeda or even the killing of innocent citizens in Iraq. 9/11 brought America together under one flag, but American citizens allowed moral impermissible actions of their political and military leaders.

The question “Do we understand?” also struck me because of the impact of a leader using “a sense of personal connection” (pg.220) in our society. We all want leaders who look like us, think like us, talk like us, and more. If a leader is a representative from our group, our goals and values can be achieved. The interactions that occur between leaders and followers are important to creating a shared identity. FDR was so widely loved by Americans because his followers understood him. He saw the livelihood of Americans as one of the chief responsibilities of the U.S. government. This could be seen in the creation of the New Deal, which opened up job opportunities following the Great Depression. Although FDR was Harvard educated, his academic prowess didn’t impinge on his ability to serve the American people. It is important that followers can see themselves in their leader and that this gap in ability is not too far. Leaders should not be outsiders of the group, but rather insiders. Leaders are the most successful and ethical when they realize that they do not stand above their followers, but for them.