Know when to lead, when to follow

“The wise understand by themselves,

fools follow the reports of others.”

--Tibetan proverb, author unknown

Mindy:  The other day, I was shopping with my husband while on the phone with my mom.  She asked what I was doing.  I told her, “Following Angelo around the store.”  She laughed and said I wasn’t being much of a leader.  I told her a good leader also knows when to follow. 

To be wise (and therefore fabulous), be sure of the facts before you follow.  Too many of us follow blindly.  When we do, a little part of ourselves gets lost.  It’s not always easy to find the facts or be confident in the paths we take.  However, no matter which one we take, the best road is always the road we choose for ourselves.

 

A great example is my decision to invest time and energy to write Find Your Inner Fabulous, promote the book and pay for the website  without knowing where it may take me.  If I fail, it’s my failure.  If I succeed, that’s mine to own as well.  Even if failure hurts, success will be all the more sweet if I created it.

Ruth:  A key improvisation rule is “follow the follower,”  meaning the audience shouldn’t be able to see anyone taking charge of a scene’s direction or content.  There is no leader.  Every performer should focus on his/her scene partner(s) and not be thinking, “I’m going to do X or say Y,” or, “Oooh!  I have a great idea for Z.” 

Sometimes it’s hard to let go of a great idea…especially when you think yours is better than what another improviser came up with.  The goal is to respond and react to what’s just been said instead of promoting your own agenda.   By following the follower, scenes develop organically, with all players on board.  Everyone adds to and heightens what is. 

Improvisers are often told if they don’t know what to do in a scene, simply do what someone else is doing.  This kind of following can get everyone on the same page and foster teamwork.

The fabulous person knows her values and openly searches for the truth.  While engaged in the pursuit for truth, she (or he) knows when to follow and when to lead.

Do you struggle with knowing when to lead?  Do you find yourself following blindly?