[Our guest blogger is Madeleine McGrath, Managing Director, International, of the Tom Peters Company.]
Last weekend’s German elections, won by a coalition of the Christian Democrats and the Free Democratic Party, have caused a lot of press recent BBC Radio 4 profile on her successful election campaign, it was reported that many Germans affectionately refer to her as Mutti (mother).
So I wonder if there are any more general lessons for us here about what followers are looking for in their leaders in these difficult times. Is there a female leader dimension to this? Is the era of the superstar leader, both in business and in politics, firmly behind us now? Are followers looking for substance over style? If so, what does this mean for President Obama, Prime Minister Brown, and anyone leading a business today?