The leadership theories and models that have been discussed so far assume that some leadership style will be effective in each situation. Substitutes for leadership are characteristics of the task, of subordinates, or of the organization. These characteristics can also neutralize the effect of leadership behavior. That is, the following may substitute for or neutralize leadership by providing direction and/or support: characteristics of the task, subordinates, and the organization.

For routine tasks with highly skilled subordinates in mechanistic structured organizations, employees don’t need supervisory instructions. Today, with shared leadership in teams, there is less need for a manager. Leadership is no longer about bossing or being in control. There is a trend towards the bossless organization. Some companies are saying that they have too many leaders and too few followers, so they are now training employees in followership. Followership is about taking responsibility for shared goals and telling leaders the truth.