Leadership is one of those words that has been defined, debated and dissected in every business book, training session and coffee shop conversation. At its core, leadership is about the ability to influence others toward achieving a common goal.
But here’s something worth noting: The word leader contains the word lead. Lead means “first,” “ahead,” “top,” and yes, “followed.” That last one, followed, is important. John Maxwell puts it bluntly: “If you are leading and no one is following, then you are not actually leading; you are simply taking a walk.”
That quote captures the essence of leadership, especially in pupil transportation. It is not just about the title, the office or the years of experience. It is about whether your people are choosing to follow you. Because leadership, at its heart, is influence. And in our line of work, that influence can inspire the best in our teams or bring out the worst.
Whether we realize it or not, we set the tone. How we show up directly impacts how our drivers, aides, mechanics, dispatchers, and office staff show up for each other and for the students we serve.
Leading vs. Managing: A Crucial Difference
One of the most common misconceptions is that leadership and management are the same thing. They are related, but they are not interchangeable. Leaders lead people. They inspire, influence and set the vision. Leadership is inherently strategic. It is about where we are going and why. Managers manage things: Tasks, schedules, projects and resources. Management is tactical. It is about how we are going to get there and making sure the wheels, literally and figuratively, keep turning.
The best leaders in transportation know when to step into tactical operations. Yes, sometimes you have to jump in and route a bus or cover a driver shortage. But their greatest value comes from thinking ahead,
setting direction and enabling their teams to succeed without needing constant oversight.
The Influence Factor
Here is the thing: People are influenced far more by what you do than what you say. They are also quick to notice when what you do and what you say do not match up. If you talk about safety but routinely cut corners to make a deadline, your team will notice. If you preach about work-life balance but send late-night emails that demand answers by morning, they will notice that, too.
Influence is built or broken in the everyday moments— how you handle stress, how you treat mistakes and how you acknowledge hard work. In transportation, this influence extends beyond your team to the students and families who depend on you.
Leadership’s Scorecard
One of the best measures of a leader’s effectiveness is not found in a spreadsheet. It is reflected in the success and morale of their team.
If your operation runs smoothly even when you are out of the office, you have built a strong leadership culture. If your people step up for each other during a tough week, you have fostered trust and collaboration. And if your drivers speak about the department with pride when they are in the community, you have influenced not just their work, but their identity.
The Follower-Centric Perspective
When we think about leadership, we often focus on our own style—servant leadership, transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and so on. But here’s a shift worth considering: What if, instead of starting with our leadership style, we started with our followers’ readiness?
We are living in a moment where our workforce spans multiple generations: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, each bringing different values, expectations and communication preferences. If we want to recruit and retain people who will show up every day for our students, we cannot just lead the way we have always led. We need to adapt.
Assessing Follower Readiness
Follower readiness is a simple yet powerful concept. It is about understanding whether an employee is willing or unwilling and able or unable.
If they are able and willing, these employees thrive with autonomy. Give them space, recognition and opportunities to grow. If they are able but unwilling, you may need to dig into motivation. Sometimes it is a mismatch between the person and the role, and sometimes it is burnout. If they are unable but willing, they have the heart but need the skills. This is where training, mentoring and hands-on coaching make the difference. If they are unable and unwilling, this is the trickiest group and often the source of HR headaches. Firm expectations, clear accountability and consistent follow-up are key.
Why This Matters for Recruitment and Retention
In transportation, turnover is not just a staffing inconvenience. It impacts safety, reliability and trust. By leading according to follower readiness, you increase job satisfaction because people feel seen and supported. You reduce costly turnover because happy employees often bring in their friends and family. You also build a reputation as a workplace where people want to stay. It is a leadership approach that is both strategic and practical, and it works across generations, backgrounds and personality types.
Less Stress, Greater Impact
When leaders adopt a follower-centric approach, understanding ability and willingness, and adapting style accordingly, they lead with greater impact and less stress. It takes the guesswork out of daily interactions. It
creates a culture of fairness and consistency. And it garners respect from those watching, whether they are new hires, veteran drivers, or even the students on the bus.
In the end, leadership in pupil transportation is about far more than filling routes and managing schedules. It is about influence; how we show up, how we adapt and how we inspire others to not just follow, but to join us in moving the mission forward. Because if no one is following, you are not leading. You are just out there taking a walk.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted from the October 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
Related: Giving Birth to Proper Leadership
Related: Leadership Starts From the Top Down
Related: (STN Podcast E277) Make the System Better: Safety Leadership Training & D.C. Insider on Disability Supports
Related: The School Bus Safety Company Unveils New Leadership Training Course to Elevate Safety Leadership
