Why followership matters in psychiatry: rebalancing our obsession with leadership

Psychiatry emphasises leadership development, but neglects the equally universal and essential role of followership. Although most clinicians spend more time as followers than leaders, literature overwhelmingly favours leadership. Drawing on healthcare, socio-religious traditions and management science, the authors reframe followership as an active, values-driven role grounded in trust, motivation and moral courage rather than passive compliance. This editorial argues that effective followership is active, ethical and courageous. Nurturing good followers in mental health services is essential for good patient care, organisational integrity and sustainable leadership. Cultivating active followership strengthens safeguarding, transparency and organisational legitimacy. The editorial calls for psychiatry and mental health services to explicitly teach and value followership alongside leadership, promoting shared vision, psychological safety and accountable decision-making to improve patient care and professional culture.