Final answer:
The leader has a consistent role in fulfilling the learner's needs to help them move to the next stage. This involves adapting leadership approaches to individual follower's growth desires, whether they need opportunities for development or structured environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of the leader is the same throughout the transformation process to provide what the learner needs to advance to the next stage. Answering the student's question, the correct option is a. Needs, Next stage. A leader's role, whether in a preparatory, implementation, or evaluative phase, is crucial in providing necessary support and opportunities for growth, catering to the individual needs of the followers. Whether the followers desire growth and autonomy or require structure and clear guidelines, it is the leader's function to facilitate the advancement of the followers to the next stage of development or achievement.
Particularly, when we consider the characteristics of expressive leaders who focus on promoting emotional strength and health, and instrumental leaders who are goal-oriented and concerned with accomplishing tasks, it's clear that leaders must be adaptable to the needs and preferences of their followers. The ever-changing dynamics of leadership and followership suggest that leaders need to foster a relationship that supports followers in becoming more effective and satisfies their needs throughout the transformation process.