Why are leadership perceptions important?

Can attributions about leadership ability affect the behaviors of followers? If so, how?

Choose a male and a female volunteer. Each member of the pair will argue over a situation in the workplace, such as departments negotiating over which gets to purchase a piece of new medical equipment (limited financial resources), deciding whether laptops or PCs are appropriate for the nursing stations, or choosing which color to paint the hospital’s hallways.
Designate one of the participants as the “influencer,” who should try to “win” the argument.
Designate the other as the “influencee,” who should resist.