Leadership means is not what scholars define—but what followers understand.

AbstractThis study challenges conventional academic assumptions by arguing that the true impact of leadership lies not in its theoretical definition, but in how followers perceive and interpret leadership behaviours. Based on data participants across Türkiye and Germany, the research reveals that while transformational leadership is frequently celebrated in academic literature, political (or communicative) leadership demonstrates a comparable impact but in real followers perceive both leadership styles in a similar manner. Structural equation modelling and statistical analyses indicate a significant perceptual overlap between transformational and political leadership. Although these styles stem from distinct theoretical origins, they elicit nearly identical follower responses—especially in fostering innovation and intrapreneurial behaviour. This convergence underscores that leadership effectiveness is not primarily rooted in scholarly classifications, but in follower meaning making and cognition. If leadership outcomes are shaped by follower perception, then leadership research that fails to influence learners and practitioners loses its relevance and impact. Thus, the academic field must move beyond abstract models to develop leadership theories grounded in the realities of how leadership is received and enacted in practice. Our study shows that what leadership means is not what scholars define—but what followers understand.