Leadership and followership are intertwined. There’s no leadership without followership. But, there could be followership without leadership. Even though, a good followership will lead to leadership.

In this article, I will share with you some  points to help you understand why followers follow.

Bestseller author Stephen Covey said the reasons ¨followers follow have different motivational and psychological roots¨.

Followers follow out of fear. They either fear  something bad is going to happen to them or something good will be taken away from them.

Followers follow because of the the benefits that come with the following. Covey calls it “utility power”. This is a give and take relationship.

A third level of leadership-followership responding is based on the power some people have with others. “This is principle-centered power”, said Covey based on trust, respect, honor.

As a self-directed student of leadership, what’s your leadership-followership style? What does following means to you? Who are you following?

Let me know.