The answer to that question can be found in the rapid changes that are affecting our workplace. Things no longer work as they once did. The public, for the most part, doesn't know what is happening. They don't know how changes in health policy will affect them. They often only are made aware in times of illness, which is not the optimal time to discover the doctor you once had has left the HMO that now manages your care.
People resist being managed.
It is too much like being controlled. And to control people is to violate their human dignity. That is why people seek leadership. They want to sign on to programs that respect their beliefs and protect their individuality. That is why we find ourselves, as nurses, in the perfect position to assume a larger role in the decision that will ultimately affect us all personally.