Leaders and Followers, Part 1

Leaders and Followers ~ Part 1

This is the first part of a series of articles that I will write detailing the major, essential differences between the two types of people… leaders and followers. Throughout my writing I will analyze the role each plays, and how your personal, individual choice influences everything around you.
First and foremost… what is a leader and what is a follower? It sounds like it should be intuitive, but let’s look a little bit closer.
A leader is someone who takes initiative, influencing their malleable surroundings to suit their desires and needs. They are usually headstrong, determined, and driven to succeed. They are willing to spend the extra time needed to see a project to completion and fruition, and take pride in their accomplishments.
They also recognize and learn from their mistakes and shortcomings. They accept failure for what it is… an opportunity for growth. Their disappointments are not barriers, they are stepping-stones, and their shortcomings are not prohibitive.
A follower is a house of cards. They fold at the slightest sign of pressure, and are more than willing to submit to the will of someone else for protection. They would rather take comfort in the blankets of submission than the harsh winds of independent thought, and are easily manipulated.
A follower gives up. A follower will quit when they fail, and refuse to learn from their mistakes. They rarely succeed, because they rarely try hard enough. They give the minimum for everything… minimal effort, minimal care, minimal enthusiasm. They are content to be passable, and never strive for excellence.
Leaders and followers, master and servant, king and knave. This order of humanity purveys itself down from the upper echelon of human organization to the individual personal relationships we all form. Leadership is born from confidence, following from insecurity. Everybody knows somebody who shows initiative and takes command of a situation. They are usually the ones in the power seat of a relationship, doling out authority. Everybody also knows someone who is content to do what everyone else decides. They are the ones with no power whatsoever.
You can, however, change your situation. You are endowed with the power of choice. You can choose to be a leader, or you can choose to be a follower, but you cannot avoid the decision. So take initiative! Choose freedom, choose power, choose rights, choose independence, and choose to be a leader. All it takes is an attitude shift from helplessness to hopefulness.
Check back soon for more on how to make the transition.
Remember, “There is more power in one man’s decision to try than in twenty men’s decision to decide.”