Lead or Follow?
*
One of the most important factors of my success until now is the fact that I was never been content with following. I never liked
- following orders
- following trends
- following people
I always preferred leading. I'm not speaking of following on Twitter. Following is a general strategy most people adhere to. It has something to do with laziness. You follow a path people went before you because you are either afraid or too lazy to find your own.
You will never be the first to do something when you just follow others.
In business we speak of the unique selling proposition that enables your business to stand out. How do you think you will be able to have an USP when you just copy something someone has done before you?
I' m not talking about leading like in "being a leader" either. The German word for leader is "Führer" and you know who the most well known leader in Germany was. I don't want people to follow me either.
Many of the Web celebrities have a business model of making other people follow them.
They can sell you affiliate products they recommend and make you spread their message on social media.
The people who follow me on Twitter or elsewhere are not followers of that kind. They are people who lead themselves. These people find and follow their own path.
It's not easy to find your own way of doing things these days. You get inundated with information, choices and your desires are constantly played with. Almost the whole make money online blogging industry is based on the wrong leader-follower relationship.
In SEO 2.0 you get the optimal win to win situation when peers work together and support each other.
I can't understand why people are following exploitative and deceiving individuals like Jason Calacanis, Steve Rubel or Kevin Rose. You have to lead yourself instead of following false idols. I don't want to be your idol. I don't want to show you my way of doing things in order to be able to sell you products. I want you to find your own way.
* Image by David Spinks
how about following until I know where I am going?
Truth is though…that MOST people will always foilow. It’s a rare individual who is truly capable of leading themselves, neverless anyone else. I like your take though….more leaders is what SEO needs as an industry wide movement.
Question for you? Do you think leaders are born or made?
It’s good if you start a lead. But it’s also good to follow. Just make sure that to follow a good lead.
Mike: Good question indeed. It depends on what your definition of a leader is. Like stated above many real life leaders are not leaders in my sense.
Also it’s always 50/50. Nobody is born a leader or made a leader. It’s always part of both. Authority is something you can achieve. Leading others is not something you should really strive for. Leading a life that suites you should be a goal though. When other people can relate and follow the same path for a while: great.
There is a specific path for all of us. No one person can determine the path for another human being. Everybody has to lead for her or himself.
good to lead and follow after
Tough question. Similar to Mike’s comment, I’m not always sure that I know enough to lead. Maybe one of these days…
SEO 2.0 | Lead or Follow?…
I always preferred leading. I’m not speaking of following on Twitter. Following is a general strategy most people adhere to. It has something to do with laziness. You follow a path people went befor……
I think if you don’t know how to lead, you could follow first and learn things leaders do.
Don’t you worry about (blank), let me worry about (blank).
There are two kinds of people in this world, sheep and sharks, what kind are you?
-Futurama
A couple of light-hearted quotes that seem oddly relevant to the leader follower model you’re talking about; however, I must agree that, while Mike’s comment about following until you know what to do, you do have to take off and do your own thing eventually or you just disappear.
Enjoyed the post, thanks!
While it’s easier to just follow, it takes more confidence to lead. Not all people are born to lead, but if given a chance, I think people would prefer to lead than follow.
I’m a good follower but i have no guts to lead.