Followers will oftentimes become passive and inactive around toxic leaders because ______.

A) followers in a toxic leader situation are simply waiting for the right time to take over
B) the majority of all followers are bystanders according to Kellerman
C) followers fear losing their security and sense of community with the group
D) most followers are not energetic by definition

Toxic leaders often create a sense of fear and insecurity among their followers. This fear can lead to followers becoming passive and inactive because they fear losing their sense of security and community with the group. This is supported by research on the effects of abusive supervision, which has shown that abusive leaders can lead to decreased employee engagement and productivity as well as increased turnover. Option A is not necessarily true, as not all followers may want to take over leadership. Option B is true according to Kellerman's typology, but does not provide a direct explanation for why followers become passive around toxic leaders. Option D is irrelevant as it does not address the specific situation of toxic leadership.