Are you a leader or a follower? Or neither-nor?

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Ana54
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03 Sep 2007, 12:51 am

I guess I'm a leader... I got my best friend all into America's Most Wanted once when I was 11 or 12 and convinced her that her mom's boyfriend was this Russian rapist...


I also got a bunch of kids at day camp when I was 9 to do stuff like throwing hoops and promised prizes like "bottle of mystery liquid" and wierd stuff like that...


When I was 9 I also taught two other kids in my building how to climb into the building through the laundry room window and stuff like that, and their father decided that they should play alone for awhile because they were easily influenced and I tended to get into trouble. (I didn't really.) :)


Then all thru my adolescence it was compressed, due to my shyness/social anxiety, and driving me nuts!


I have pretended to be a follower, for complex reasons, and "gotten into trouble" (not really).


Give examples of times you behaved as a leader, a follower, or neither-nor! :)



03 Sep 2007, 3:06 am

I was the leader of my friends and my brothers when I was little because I wanted everything my way. Then I became a follower when being with my peers started to get hard because I was trying to fit in. All they wanted to do was chit chat, not play.



Belfast
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03 Sep 2007, 3:09 am

Basically am neither a follower nor a leader-these would involve interactions & relationships, of which I've very few. Want to be left alone, in terms of making own choices (unless I want help, of course-which does happen), shouldn't I give others that same level of self-determination ?
I'd prefer that the majority of humans were willing & able to clean up pollution (and stuff like that), but am not in position (haven't the authority, morally or legally) to enforce rules on others' lifestyles. Can be kind of controlling when I dislike someone's choice & tell them so (and why).
On the whole, am somewhere in between. Don't want to be an idol, nor an idol-worshipper, don't want to draw attention to myself but don't want to be totally invisible, either. Not daring enough to stand up/out in a crowd (lead), not unquestioning enough to just do as directed (follow)-instead I stay home & avoid the crowd (ha-ha). Suppose it's similar when dealing with online groups, too.


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edal
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03 Sep 2007, 7:36 am

Follower

I tried being a leader a couple of times as part of various jobs and I wasn't very good at it.

Ed Almos



frankwah
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03 Sep 2007, 9:48 am

In school workgroups I'm often the reluctant leader. I usually wait for other people to take the reigns. If nobody takes them or if someone proves that he or she can't handle the task of leadership I will take over. I'm pretty good at being a leader.



Spaceplayer
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03 Sep 2007, 10:43 am

It's funny, I guess it depends on your conception of leader. I'm a leo, which is supposed to mean I'm a leader (fortunately I don't rest my fate in the stars.) But I was unpopular in school, and at work I could never "command" or get people to "do what I say." On the other hand, I've learned over the years to follow my own path, and ironically, I've been a leader that way. I've had people compliment me on my courage to try new things which inspired them, or I've had the courage to do what's right, which also they tell me inspired them to make their own stands. It's rather zen, be without being, do without doing...



samtoo
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03 Sep 2007, 11:42 am

I perceive myself as neither a leader nor a follower.
I'm in this to help myself out but certainly not to try to tell people what to do. And I definately don't do things people tell me to do either.
So I'm... yeah neither lol.


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pluto
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03 Sep 2007, 1:13 pm

I've been a leader at work,having been appointed as a supervisor but it was a job
I found that really required treating staff in a more detached or even abrupt manner than I could live with.I came to the conclusion I'm more effective being a
follower,supportive to the leader but not averse to questioning unreasonable
or unclear instructions.


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MamaFrankie5259
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17 Sep 2017, 5:52 pm

I am neither. I don't feel comfortable blindly following the herd. I do my own thing.


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dragonsanddemons
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17 Sep 2017, 5:59 pm

I'm neither. I just do my own thing, completely independent of anyone else. I'm not a part of the herd, pack, group, whatever you want to call it. I'm a solitary creature.


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Zaarin
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17 Sep 2017, 6:32 pm

Neither by preference, but if, in a small group setting, no one else takes charge I will; I never follow.


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17 Sep 2017, 9:22 pm

In general, I would say I somewhere in between.



Syd
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17 Sep 2017, 11:13 pm

"Don't walk in front of me... I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me... I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend."



nick007
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18 Sep 2017, 2:01 am

I tend to be too much in my own head but I can be a follower in social & work situations. I was also a leader in work situations at times if I felt I was qualified because I cared about getting the job done due to being a little bit of a workaholic & other employees wanting to slack off.


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18 Sep 2017, 9:18 am

I am the President of my Tuesday evening Toastmasters club, so I am a leader in that respect. I wouldn't consider myself a really fiery leader. I generally want to take care of business quickly and ensure that the meeting moves in a timely fashion. I don't like to be the show.