Why People Rely On Leaders

Psychologist Eric Froom wrote a classical literature named “Escape from Freedom” in 1941. He contended in his book why people accept authoritarian regimes of leaders like Hitler’s government in Germany? Froom further asserted that people don’t always want autonomy or freedom, and sometimes they don’t take it as a positive thing, in fact, most often, they don’t enjoy it and find the absence of inhibition uncomfortable. Froom further suggested that the ways people looking for to minimize the wrong acts associated with freedom include engaging in conformity, destructiveness, and authoritarianism.

Lipman — Blumen, a great writer of the famous book “Toxic Leaders”. He advocated about numerous toxic leaders in all walks of life who served their organizations in the calamity. He further contented why people follow toxic leaders? One such motivation is the need for security. “Empowerment or autonomy seem great until you have it” and then many people need solace and guidance that people often want in the sense of security within the organization and personal lives. I must quote Freudian analysis here that “as children we are used to being cared for and taken care of. As adults, we may miss that quasian parental care giving and therefore decide to seek care from others, non-parental authority figures such as bosses.”

According to Lipman- Blueman, a professor at Claremount University, US, people are social creatures, which is why prisoners of war in different movies like “The Great Escape, Von Ryan’s Express, and Escape from Alcatraz” were isolated from their mobs. Generally, we don’t like being ostracized from the group. In fact, we can shun ostracism by joining a group that is led by a strong leader that incorporates us.

Employees perform particularly well and feel part of the team when leaders make them feel special, part of an elite, differentiated, and unstifled. People love to feel good about themselves. On of the renowned phrases like the “smartest people in the room” always stands out. Employees want to avoid cognitive dissonance. It runs rampant within the workplaces. Cognitive dissonance could be defined as having two conflicting ideas or thoughts for instance, I have joined the firm and voluntarily in the workplace, and the idea that the workplace I am in is run by low and mean performers, are two inharmonious thoughts.

The very way to conspire people in their own deception, including deceiving themselves about their leaders and organizations in which they work, would require a strategy in itself to do justice to this vitally important topic. These are some thought provoking ideas that why people put their trust on leaders without much critical thought.