Sci/Tech Life's Extremes: Leaders vs. Followers

[The Helper]

"Who wants to lead the class project?" the teacher asks. Some hands go up, others stay down, someone looks at the ground and another kid yells "I do! I do!"

Even at a young age, a few of us jump to the fore, excited to take on the responsibility of leadership. Others of us defer such roles, content to follow who's in charge.

The fact that these tendencies emerge in youth speaks to how science has shown, to a certain extent, that there are natural born leaders and followers. Genetically conferred traits such as outgoingness, intelligence, a will to dominance and physical attractiveness do correlate with those who assume leadership positions.

Followers can possess all of these traits too. But given the evolutionary pressures that have favored group coordination going back millions of years, the emergence of leaders is guaranteed whenever a pack of people get together.

Read the whole rather interesting article here.

 

[Dan]

I enjoy leading.

 

[JerseyFoo]

Article discusses natural born leaders. Gives brown-nosers, police, and quarterbacks as examples. What?

Better example; drug dealers.

 

[Jedimindtrixxx]

personally i asses the situation. depending on how much i know on the subject, how much everyone else knows, and if there is anybody else better equipped to lead. i can do both well.

 

[camelCase]

For now, because I'm in school, I do this.
01) Let someone else be appointed the official leader of a project.
02) Lead the team to victory myself

I do the above every single time, never met with resistance =P

I just don't like the, how would I say it, "spotlight" of being called the leader.
I like to lead but don't like a title slapped on to me =P

Won't be able to do it in the working world, though =/

 

[Accname]

I like being the leader only if the work will pay out.
In school? Never, the points we got for that much work did not justify it to take the responsibility. Let the stupid people work for bread and butter.

But if something proves to be worthwhile i would like to lead the project because i believe that i am some kind of >natural< born leader. I like organizing stuff, i like system and tidiness and i like to give orders to people. Makes me feel better.

 

[xPass]

1) Volunteer to be a leader
2) Become the official leader
3) Teacher expects you to ask the team to do the stuff
4) Team refuses to cooperate
5) You solo the work
6) Team gains credit

That's what happens.

 

[camelCase]

The thing is, I'd rather do all the work and get a good score for *myself*.
I don't really care if they get a good score because of me.

Better than letting someone else lead and having everyone, most importantly; me, fail =P
Well, that's how I feel, anyways =x