What defines an isolate in terms of engagement with leadership?

The definition of an isolate in terms of engagement with leadership revolves around their passive behavior towards the leadership and organizational change. Isolates, as a category of followers, typically do not engage actively with their leaders or the organizational goals. Instead, they tend to accept the existing state of affairs, supporting the status quo without taking the initiative to promote change or innovate. This characteristic makes them somewhat detached, lacking the engagement seen in more active followers who actively participate in and contribute to the leader's vision.

In contrast, the other choices reflect more engaged levels of participation from followers. For example, some may actively support a leader's vision, while others demonstrate high levels of enthusiasm and engagement. Options that involve frequent communication with the leader imply a more interactive and dynamic relationship, which is fundamentally different from the isolate's disengaged stance. Thus, defining an isolate by their support for the status quo truly encapsulates their reluctance to change or innovate in contrast to the more engaged roles of other follower types.