Upon enlisting in the United States military, every soldier must swear an oath (or affirmation), amongst other things, that they ..."will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me [them]..." This reminds soldiers that there is a chain of command and those officers appointed over them have the authority to make decisions that include the soldier's welfare and that the soldier is to obey and execute those decisions and those orders. Even if the order (lawfully given) may cost the soldier their welfare, safety or even their life. This authority of leadership, through rank, is reinforced through the oath, training, and discipline. It is also a good reminder for the civilian world that we all must follow the decisions and direction given to us by those that have been appointed by the organization to have that authority. And while the application of the craft of leadership may solicit input, opinion, and discussion regarding matters of the business, decision making is the leader's accountability, even if it is unpopular. As long as the decision is not illegal, immoral or unethical, we must respect the decision making authority of those appointed above us. This is our accountability and responsibility of followers, and personal leadership in our own right. And while we may disagree with the decision, we are not without recourse. But we must also understand that there are consequences for our actions if we avail ourselves of those recourses or if we quit in protest (quiet or not). Leadership is not consensus.