Abstract

Traditionally, leadership has been considered to study in an organizational setting where they treat leadership as a stable set of behaviors or traits demonstrated by adults in the workplace. However, a new development in the research arena recognizes that leadership is fundamentally a relational phenomenon that has its roots in the early psychosocial development and the “internal working models” of relationships first formulated in childhood. This paper provides a critical review on the interplay between the attachment style and leadership preference and how these two variables develop from adolescence to adulthood. This paper indicates the importance of exploring how adolescents prefer leadership differently than adults. Furthermore, by drawing upon an evolutionary and lifespan perspective, this review explores how early adverse childhood experiences, emotional regulation competencies, and implicit leadership theories shape our relational expectations. Ultimately, it underscores that both adolescent leadership emergence and adult followership are continuously driven by a fundamental psychological need for a secure base and relational safety.