At which level of leadership do people follow primarily because they feel they have to?

The level of leadership where individuals follow primarily because they feel they have to is known as the Position level. At this stage, leadership is based on the authority that comes with a title or position rather than the personal influence or rapport between the leader and their team. Followers comply because they recognize the leader’s formal authority and the obligations that come with it, such as job responsibilities or consequences for non-compliance.

This form of compliance is driven largely by an expectation to follow due to organizational hierarchy or directives rather than a shared vision or personal respect for the leader. This contrasts with other leadership levels, where concepts like trust, relationships, and respect play a more significant role in motivating followers.