Several decades ago, an unusually skilled team leader at a pharmaceutical company left to join a competitor. What happened next turned the company and employment law on its head forever. Scores of colleagues followed the leader to the new enterprise, draining the previous employer of critical talent and crushing their results for years to come. Such is the influence of leaders who create extraordinary followership.
A couple of comments: I don't think 'blind allegiance' to a leader is healthy or good. I also wonder how much about it is the leader's behavior (it is some but I don't think all) that get people to follow them or the fact that they think they'll have an 'in' at the new company. Lastly, this happens a lot in my industry. Leaders leave, people follow to work for that leader. A lot of them come back or ask to come stating that the culture at the other place was not a fit. The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.
Creating Extraordinary Followership
A couple of comments: I don't think 'blind allegiance' to a leader is healthy or good. I also wonder how much about it is the leader's behavior (it is some but I don't think all) that get people to follow them or the fact that they think they'll have an 'in' at the new company. Lastly, this happens a lot in my industry. Leaders leave, people follow to work for that leader. A lot of them come back or ask to come stating that the culture at the other place was not a fit. The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill.