Leadership Lessons in a Rock Fan’s Dance

Many of you may be familiar with TED videos, the online video library of great talks from the TED (Technology Entertainment Design) Conference.

This talk in particular was great in its simplicity. Far faster than Gladwell’s Tipping Point read, and just as cogent in its dissecting a video of a concert dance to make a point about how group movements start.

The lessons for marketers, leaders, teachers, party-throwers are readily apparent: it’s the second “follower” that has real guts, turning the bleeding edge into the leading edge.

The second person to follow a lead:

• turns a solo into a group
• commits his or her credibility to a possible lone wolf, person, or idea
• enables the more risk-averse to join in

It’s time to value that first convert in following the lead or idea. Seconds, anyone?