You cannot order people to follow you

By Dr. Toye Sobande · First published in BusinessDay, 18 September 2026

Part three of the followership series turns to the leader’s side of the relationship. Authority arrives with the job title, Dr. Sobande argues, but the willingness of people to genuinely follow does not. It is given voluntarily, and it can be withheld quietly.

The argument

People hold back their best when honesty is punished, when their contribution goes unseen, or when promises about their growth never materialise. In those conditions a team will comply, but it will not volunteer ideas, raise early warnings or go the extra distance.

The leaders who earn real commitment build three conditions: it is safe to speak, contribution is recognised, and the work is tied to a purpose larger than the leader. Teams also watch closely whether the leader lives by the standards they enforce.

Key takeaways

• Rank buys compliance; trust buys commitment.
• Punished candour, unrecognised effort and empty promises of growth all suppress followership.
• Safety, recognition and purpose are the conditions leaders must build.
• Teams judge whether a leader serves the mission or only themselves.
• Loud displays of loyalty are unreliable; real following shows under pressure.

“Rank gets you the body. Only trust gets you the person.”

Dr. Toye Sobande

A question to take away

If your title disappeared tomorrow, who on your team would still choose to follow you, and why?