Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study was to discover
the leadership characteristics which influence a follower to become an informal leader within a student organization at a university in the Midwestern U.S. The aim of the study was to use the discovered characteristics of the followers to assist student organization leaders on the university campus to develop members into the future leaders of these organizations. This development may be used by other colleges and universities to develop student members into future leaders in their own student organizations. Research findings indicated that nine common characteristics assisted followers in understanding and identifying potential informal leaders within a student organization. Based on the data collected, formal leaders within student organizations can use the 10 Common Characteristics of Informal Leaders Rubric that was developed as part of the study to determine who may have leadership potential, and in whom to invest in developing the great good of their student organization.