'Fawning' is the survival instinct of the unsure and the insurance of the insecure.
Each day at work place, in public offices, in political areanas, in friend circles & oh not to forget, our own families, we witness an exuberant exhibition of the same.
Interesting synonyms express such fawning : boot-licking, cowering, brown-nosing, obsequious, flattery. These references sound crass but one sees leadership reinforcing such behaviours by making saccrined references to it. But the ultimate effect remains the same.
The real intention behind the acquiescing behaviours of such toadies is naturally to gain unfair benefits and attract attention of the powerful onto oneself and by doing so, seek benefits thru servile demeanor for themselves.
The toxic culture such organisations foster by letting their leadership reward, reinforce & endorse such sycophantic behaviours is sequiter to the nemesis of leadership & failing of the enterprise.
Some team's we lead. In some others, we are members. Often observed is the fact that whilst playing a team member role, we tend to abhor such smoothly decorated servient obedience, in leadership roles we mindfully reward it by positioning the same as - obedient, supportive, supplementary, adjuvant & apurtenant behaviours.