Hi Leader,
You can have the title.
You can have the authority.
You can even have the results.
And still feel like people are holding back.
Not pushing back openly. Not refusing outright. Just doing the minimum. Going quiet in meetings. Waiting to be told instead of leaning in.
That moment confuses a lot of leaders. Because on paper, everything looks fine.
But followership is not a spreadsheet decision. It is a human one.
This week, as we honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., it is worth pausing on why people chose to follow him, even when it was costly.
There are many reasons his impact endures, and they operate on a scale far larger than most of our roles.
But the throughline that matters here is simpler and closer to home.
People followed because of how he showed up.
Because they felt seen, respected, and challenged at the same time.
Because trust was present, even under pressure.
And while most of us are not leading movements that change the course of history, we do shape lives, decisions, and culture every single day.
If we are lucky, we get to make impact along the way.
I did not start my career in aviation with the intention of being the first African American woman president in the industry. I was not thinking about representation or legacy. I was focused on doing the job well, navigating pressure, and leading responsibly in the rooms I was in.
But along the way, that impact happened.
Not because of a title.
But because of presence.
That is the kind of leadership that translates across scale.
Not history-book leadership.
Human leadership.
And that is where followership actually begins.
How People Decide Whether to Follow
Followership is not a conscious calculation.
It is a nervous system response.
Neuroscience confirms what great leaders have always understood. People decide whether to lean in or pull back before they ever explain it to themselves. Their systems scan first.
Do I feel safe here?
Do I feel respected?
Am I being challenged, or controlled?
That decision happens quickly. And once it happens, everything else follows.
Compliance can look like agreement.
But commitment only happens when trust is present. Sales people, you should know this too..
A yes does not always mean buy-in. A nod does not mean momentum. The brain may be cooperating, but it is not fully engaged.
This is why you can have alignment on paper and still feel resistance in the room. People may be going along, but they are not leaning in.
And that difference matters.
Why Strength or Empathy Is Not Enough
This is where many leadership styles quietly break down.
Strength without empathy triggers protection. When people feel managed, talked over, or controlled, they comply if they must, but they stop contributing fully. Candor disappears. Creativity drops. The best thinking never makes it into the room.
That is not leadership failure.
That is a predictable human response.
The opposite mistake creates a different problem.
Empathy without accountability feels supportive, but it creates drift. Standards soften. Expectations blur. People feel comfortable, but progress slows.
Leadership that lasts does not choose between strength and empathy.
It integrates them.
The leaders people want to follow regulate themselves first. They listen without surrendering authority. They set clear standards without creating fear.
People experience them as steady. Predictable. Fair.
That is what creates trust under pressure.
And trust is what allows people to stay engaged even when the work is hard.
The Question That Matters Right Now
So whether you are leading a team, influencing peers, or setting direction from where you sit, the question underneath it all is simple:
Do people experience you as someone who creates clarity and safety at the same time?
If the answer is yes, people follow willingly.
If the answer is no, leadership becomes exhausting.
That is the recalibration this January is about.
Next Steps While You Wait for the Next Edition
If this conversation landed, here are a few ways to keep the work moving.
Stay connected.
Make sure you are subscribed so you do not miss what is coming next. And if you want guaranteed access to future paid editions when they return, this is a good time to upgrade your subscription.
If you lead people, ask yourself this:
How do others experience my presence under pressure?
If that question matters, take the Leadership Assessment to understand where trust is being built and where it may be breaking down.
→ Find Your Leadership Type
If influencing or selling is part of your role, ask yourself this:
Do my conversations create engagement, or quiet compliance?
If that feels relevant, take the Sales Assessment to see how your approach is landing.
→ Find Your Sales Type
Watch my free sales training.
If influence feels harder than it used to, this training breaks down how trust, timing, and human behavior actually work now.
→ Register for my free sales training
Bring Me Into the Room
From founder teams to Fortune 500s, I work with organizations ready to replace fear with trust and turn culture into a competitive edge.
→ Book Stephanie to speak
Leadership people want to follow is not about control.
It is about how responsibly you use influence.
I will see you in the next edition.
Stephanie
