First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2010
- Official transcript at sivers.org/ff
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If you've learned a lot about leadership and making a movement, then let's watch a movement happen, start to finish, in under 3 minutes, and dissect some lessons:
A leader needs the guts to stand alone and look ridiculous. But what he's doing is so simple, it's almost instructional. This is key. You must be easy to follow!
Now comes the first follower with a crucial role: he publicly shows everyone how to follow. Notice the leader embraces him as an equal, so it's not about the leader anymore - it's about them, plural. Notice he's calling to his friends to join in. It takes guts to be a first follower! You stand out and brave ridicule, yourself. Being a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire.
The 2nd follower is a turning point: it's proof the first has done well. Now it's not a lone nut, and it's not two nuts. Three is a crowd and a crowd is news.
A movement must be public. Make sure outsiders see more than just the leader. Everyone needs to see the followers, because new followers emulate followers - not the leader.
Now here come 2 more, then 3 more. Now we've got momentum. This is the tipping point! Now we've got a movement!
As more people jump in, it's no longer risky. If they were on the fence before, there's no reason not to join now. They won't be ridiculed, they won't stand out, and they will be part of the in-crowd, if they hurry. Over the next minute you'll see the rest who prefer to be part of the crowd, because eventually they'd be ridiculed for not joining.
And ladies and gentlemen that is how a movement is made! Let's recap what we learned:
If you are a version of the shirtless dancing guy, all alone, remember the importance of nurturing your first few followers as equals, making everything clearly about the movement, not you.
Be public. Be easy to follow!
But the biggest lesson here - did you catch it?
Leadership is over-glorified.
Yes it started with the shirtless guy, and he'll get all the credit, but you saw what really happened:
It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader.
There is no movement without the first follower.
We're told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective.
The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.
When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in.
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Original video at • Sasquatch music festiv...
"When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in." Brilliant.
yes indeed
damn 9 years ago
Steve Jobs when seeing what Wozniak was doing
@@scaryshark9950 10 now!
”Leadership is over-glorified […] It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader.”
"It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader."
thats right
8 years later I still find this video incredibly inspiring. Notice how the momentum never slow down, in fact it gets bigger and bigger.
and big
er
MAGA
I started a cult after watching this, we are thriving.
Only ❤ Love ❤ Is ❤ Real
Being a follower is in fact the first step of being a leader
brilliant!
said L Ron Hubbard
@@ST2theEphen wut? (f Hubbard, by the way.)
I have followed in the steps of many's (big feet) 🤣 @sasquatchdancingman
No it's a useful sheep
The narration for this video did the trick haha
omg why are you here lmao love your content
Small world
Yeah.
Dam
Indeed
This genre-less content is what we need more of on youtube. You've got an eye for noteworthy events that fly under the radar. Thanks for narrating and posting this, I like the way you think
Just wait until you see what I am posting @sasquatchdancingman
soo true!!
This is a great video.
Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky your videos are great too.
Indeed
Meh
"When you find James Corbett doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in." ;)
@slovek I am the one that did the TED talk. This is my original video I created before doing it on stage at TED.
This is awesome! Thanks.
Link?
I remember watching this video many years ago when I was at college and it has stuck with me and influenced my thinking at times Thanks so much!
Gavin Mcinnes, whatever, did one on Tedx like this too
love it
The psychology beyond this narration is seriously brilliant. I watched this many years and it is such an important lesson in human behaviour. It's a fun video, sure, but it explains how our society thinks about many situations. Well done!
Another example of this effect:
Group of friends being together. Ideas are thrown around on what to do next. Nothing gets decided. But the moment one guy follows another's idea everybody will.
I think most can relate to this.
Probably one of the most important videos I have ever seen in my life.
Classic! My dad told me, "If you want to be successful in Show Business, You can't be afraid of making a fool of yourself".
I've posted this before, but it's always worth re-posting it.
It reminds me of what my dad said.
crazy shirtless dancing guy is my religion
I've used this every year with my students since 2014. Yes, it still rings true and gives all of us a window into the power that we have to change the world for the better, one interaction at a time. We are powerful creators, act accordingly. Thanks Derek!
Its an honor to be your first like. :)
The guy that joined in is a good friend of mine his graduation party was last night. He's a humble, awesome dude.
THIS IS FUCKING GREAT! Gave me goosebumps! WE THE PEOPLE BETTeR GeT GOING!
fucking incredible man, did this in the disco when there was only one guy dancing on the floor and it fucking worked like a charm
It really does. I did it at a club once, most people were standing around talking or slightly swaying and I got my friend to help me start a dance off. It's funny because neither of us were very good, but we danced with confidence and were clearly enjoying ourselves, and by the end of the song everybody was dancing and we had become celebrities for the night haha
So cool to hear confirming stories!
One of the best videos I've seen in my life. On-point narration. So succinct, so powerful. THANK YOU.
Absolutely Brilliant. Short, simple, powerful, and so, so True! Thanks Derek, you are destined for great things!
This is actually a GREAT lesson! Thanks for sharing!
What this video forgot, is that ecstasy makes it much easier.
+HackBennys And feeling good is bad because...?
+Roger Harris When did I say that? Maybe you should reread what I said.
***** Your comment implies that the dancers are high on ecstasy, which many would judge as a bad thing. Perhaps I misinterpreted. (That is the problem of using 140 character comments of course.) If on the other hand you are advocating use of ecstasy as a way to enjoy a communality not often experienced...
+Roger Harris Wasn't trying to imply that, it was a joke. I think you're putting too much thought into an offhanded remark.
***** Ah... A smiley would have helped.
Thank you for posting this video!
"How did he do that?!" Haha, he was just doin what he do.
+Christopher Simmons Its funny how the lyrics to the song went: "I've got to be unstoppable" .......
This guy is the essence of winning, in human form lol!
Hitler in 1930: “Write that down!! Write that down!!”
Indeed
Dancing Nazis?
@@osamabinladen824 You better be taking notes too!
@@ST2theEphen Yes. Wanna enlist?
@@osamabinladen824 u no it! Always down for a good jihad. But only if I can be your first (follower)
I’m very thankful to have watched this video and learned this information
Love, Love, LOVE this short clip, so deep as well, thanks for sharing!
"I am not a good dancer"
"This half gram says you are..."
I can SO relate to that shirtless guy in this video... The SAME thing happened to me on the dance floor at my co-worker’s wedding reception...
Well-before the dinner was supposed to be served, the DJ was instructed to play, “slow soulful jazzy background type music”... His chosen music that he decided to spin, sounded danceable to ME...
My +1 shy girlfriend denied my request to dance with me... So I stepped on the floor and started to get my groove on... THREE songs in, Darlene, (another one of my co-workers) struts on the dance floor as I give her a high-five for joining in my own party... Immediately after that, the DJ mixes in that classic up-tempo song; “SHOUT” by; The Isley Brothers... Next thing you know, EVERYONE, and i mean EVERYONE swarmed the dance floor...
Was it ME, Darlene, or The Isley Brothers!? That was TEN years ago, and I always asked myself, who got everybody on the dance floor, UNTIL i saw this video...
Wonderful video, thank you for sharing. This is what any leader would feel! The second person was so brave too!
this is one of the greatest instructional/inspirational videos on the web. powerful
This is one of the best TED-Talk I have ever watched
I love this video. It means a lot to me. People are so shy now a days. You need to learn to not have a care in the world when it comes to certain things. Don't be afraid to stand out, don't be scared that you think you will get judged. If you don't take a stand, who knows if someone ever will. You have to get out there, face your fears, and make a change. Who cares if you look silly in the process? You're doing this for yourself. Not for others, so why does it matter what they think? Be a leader
I had never watched this video and after watching I can clearly understand the importance of leadership. We can see how a "crazy" person was turned into a leader by so many people in a short amount of time. The guy was alone dancing and it make it even more interesting hot he was confident enough to not stop even though nobody was following him but then one by one the crow started to grow and lots of people started to dance with him. The first person to follow him was extremely vital since it is all the dancing guy needed to start a trend. So I really think this video is the perfect description of how leadership and followers work.
and also proves that it.s not about right or wrong it.s all about timeing ,power of example , social pressure..human behaivoi is very strange 😁
I use this video in trainings ALL the time. Thanks again for making it!!!! It's PERFECT
Brilliant! Great lesson, here 12 years later, wow!👏👏
Derek Sivers is a true visionary. His CD Baby helped thousands of musicians and indie labels break through and lead instead of follow! My favorite label- Ragga Force Music was one of them! Because of Derek, I am on TH-cam and millions of people have watched our videos!
Love this! So true! Someone has to get things started!
Derek Sivers is such an inspiration!
Thanks for sharing this is so true God bless you.
A follower can definetely become a leader. In this video, it explains how it takes a lot of courage for the leader to stand out in the crowd. Although, the leader would be nothing if it wasn't for the first follower that came an joined him. What the first follower did was that he enabled the leader to start this whole group of dancing people. What the first follower did was show everyone else that it was okay to join, and that what they were doing was fun. Something they said in the video that I thought was really important was that the leader welcomed his first follower with open arms and treated him as his equal, which allowed them to form a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship.
I've seen the video of just the dancing guy years ago.. the leadership aspect is an interesting take. I think far too often too many try and set out to be a leader. It is clear this guy is just enjoying doing his thing at first until he embraces the first follower. Watch what happens next.
I love watching and sharing this video and feel a sense of positivity!
This video makes me cry almost. It's beautiful
I keep coming back to this video because it is so true. I was second in command of an international corporation, and my boss would not have accomplished anything without me. You need the person who activates the other people.
The guy at 1:28 in the white shirt gets me every time!
"Get outta the F***in way!"
Thank you Dr. Kathleen Patterson!
So organically inspirational!
Thank you, thank you for sharing!
Wow, I just realized that this is how Jesus worked. He treated the Apostles as equals, and they started a movement. The teachings and writings of his first followers (the 12 Apostles and authors of the New Testament) have been going for 2,000 years.
Regardless of anyone's thoughts on Christianity, that's one heck of a leadership lesson.
well he didn't exist but hey
+OG Sputnik Spyglass Historically Jesus did exist.
+Mermaid *grabs popcorn*
+OG Sputnik Spyglass well i think he does, so yeah
+OG Sputnik Spyglass Wait, what?
The most influential part of this video is the analogy of a chain reaction that was used. A movement begins with a leader who seems out of place as he stands alone. The first follower acts as a pivotal addition to the movement as it proves that the leader is effective in whatever they are preaching. The second followers completes the trio needed to make up a "crowd." Following that a movement is created with the additional people that join. The hardest position to be in in this chain reaction is the leader because they act as the catalyst of the movement. They are responsible for convincing their first follower to believe them. For there, the first followers acts as a "testimony" for the leader and the reaction continues. The leader acting as the one that stands out the most proves that there is a qualifying factor for being a leader. Many would not risk looking out of place just for any movement. As seen in the video, the "Dancing Guy" looks very out of place butt somehow gets someone to follow him. His success comes from the determination he radiates to others.
This is one of the greatest leadership videos on the net. Followers are following other followers not the leader. Very true.
Thank you for this video. Now I must watch it again. Thumbs up man!
Wow! It is so interesting seeing how energy is animated socially, here between Individualistic and Egalitarian Thought Styles. Followership is indeed important, but how Followership is generated is a big story in itself.
"How To Start A Cult 101."
I found this inspirational.
Thankyou
I have used this video so many times!
that's the most high minded philosophy i've ever heard on TH-cam!!
great concept thank you.
after several years i found your video again. i really love it! thanks..
Legendary video, legendary message.
It is quite impressive when you give the video a new point of view and put everything into context. Not one idea starts as a big movement on its own, you always have to have followers. It is interesting the spin the video gives to this specific situation. People always talk about the inventor of “x” idea, but never talk about the people that supported them since the beginning, which in my opinion have the same or more influence on the successfulness of an idea becoming a movement. Now more than ever, all ideas, movements, and events happen mostly because of word of mouth or influence from one person to another. It is not a mere coincidence that artists or religions are followed by so many people. Now a day, with how easy it is to be connected with people across the globe, it makes it easier to be the first follower of a “crazy” idea that sits on the other side of the globe. At last, it is important to highlight, from the first follower perspective, to be loyal to your instincts.
ur right , but for me the bigger lesson is in human behaivor..society..scary 😁
This was literally shown in school for “leadership week”
Lol same
I love this video everytime I watch it.
Valuable lesson And demonstrated so very well!
very inspirational! and true.
The video of the Dancing Guy provides a unique scenario that exemplifies leadership, a lesson that can be seen inside and outside the workplace. The First Follower is the individual that puts themself out there, in turn, thinking for himself. After this first follower stands as an example to the rest of the "staff", they will trust his opinion and what he must say-like a leader. This first follower serves as an influential figure to the others, as exemplified in this video, more people began to join the dancing group. This First Follower is truly a Leader, as opposed to the first dancing man, because the First Followers is the individual that acquires the rest of the group and shows them what should be done. In this way, this first follower can be a leader because he is the one that has “guts” and decides to allow himself to be potentially judged for joining the one man dancing alone which may come across unconventional to other people. Without this first follower, the first individual isn’t a leader. It is this follower that makes this sole man a leader, which in turn invites more individuals.
Awesome leadership in practice!
I love this! It can apply to leadership and movements in many different ways! Great analogy!
This needs to be taught in, well almost anywhere, but certainly business school. Well done! Love it!
=))) made my day
Indeed
This is still one of the best videos on you tube, imo. Commentary and video, so funny and so true.
I love it, been the lone nut several times on the dance floor and and many other places and always embrace those followers. Thank you to the followers :-)
Inspiring as hell.
I was researching meme origins and almost cried.
I simply love this! I teach a course in leadership and will be showing this video. It really shows its point about the need for the first follower to make a leader actually a leader. If there are no followers, there is no leader. Well done!
Exactly..if the 1st follower didn't join the leader, then there will be no FOLLOWERS.
People always follow the leader and never the over way round.
It's the qualities the leader displayed along the rymthm of the music that attract the followers ,the next followers and the next..
Don't forget.
Very rare to watch a TH-cam video with a valuable and well supported example
I refer to this video all the time myself, and show it to anyone I am training.
Give a hand to Chancellorpink, the first follower (first commenter) of this video.
Indeed
Good stuff!
And now, there are 1,579 Comments! (Err, 1580, I guess! And counting!)
Really nice! Thank a lot for your channel :)
Ur the best
no thank YOU for your channel
The commentary on this is fantastic.😊
Awesome video. Thanks!!
I feel like I've learned from this
The video teaches some excellent lessons about leadership and followership. The first lesson is that leaders are role models who lead by their own example. Regardless of being ridiculed and laughed at, leaders are aware of the accuracy and beneficial outcomes of their actions which is the reason that they persevere in the face of challenges and hardships. When somebody follows a good leader, the leader does not give importance to himself and ego but boosts the movement by encouraging the followers through a sense of unity and shared purpose. For example, when the first followers approach the leader, the leader embraces him as his equal and joins hands for the sake of the greater good of the movement.
Good followers are brave people who believe in the movement. In order for a movement to be successful, it should be appearing to the public as a crowd. The crowd must be advertised to the public in the form of a blessing. Leaders must tell the rise of the movement to the public as it is a piece of good news. Good news is a blessing that must be advertised because it has everything which it takes to encourage other people to join in the good cause.
This is the most educational video I have ever seen. Will be with me until I die.
As the movement got started I got Goosebumps great lesson hilarious video
Look at all the pessimists on here taking away something negative out of what's supposed to be a positive and valuable lesson. They say with a disappointing or condescending tone, "people are sheep." As if being a sheep is ALWAYS a bad thing!! Who has taught us these lies?
Look, the truth is, we are ALL sheep to something. Do you like listening to music? (it doesn't matter what genre) If yes, then you're like the vast majority of humans because most people also enjoy listening to their own music. In other words, you're a sheep to music. Would you say that's a bad thing? Probably not.
And what about the fact that most cultures value the practice of treating others the way we would like to be treated? Most people believe in this moral value (aka, the golden rule), therefore most people are sheep to it. Would you say that's a bad thing? Again, probably not. To the contrary, you're probably glad that such a universal (or sheepish) mindset exists with regard to this good moral philosophy.
Even the pessimists on here commenting how this video demonstrates people are sheep are, themselves, sheep to the idea that being a sheep is a bad thing!
*What truly matters isn't whether or not we are sheep, but rather, what we are sheep TO.* A sheep to lies is ignorant. A sheep to the golden rule is good. A sheep to a harmless dance is merely having fun without hurting anybody. Just because you do or like something that many other people also do or like doesn't automatically make you some mindless robot.
So let's open up our minds and recognize that being a sheep isn't always a bad thing. Let's have some first followers on this, shall we?
+Says The Big Bear Couldn't have said it better myself
Some people are just pissy because they're too stubborn and rebellious to follow but also too weak a leader to lead
You need a TL;DR
+Says The Big Bear People are social animals. Working like a group of neurons that fire a large brain, unconsciously creating bigger movements. It's like a Hive mind. With advent of networking technologies, this is becoming more apparent. We should embrace this reality and seek to use this to solve our problems.
You say the word pessimists like they're some kind of nazi cult, I was expecting your later words to be along the lines of, "these filthy pessimists".
Mnakekeli Ngcamphalala
Yeah, I was only referring to the pessimists of this video, not pessimists in general. I just don't know what else to call them, that's all. Anti-sheepers maybe?
This video makes me cry every time I see it.
I love humans! :D
Zlodaex ok but why would you cry
@@yeetrootthebeetroot3872 that social behaviors gets me emotional
@@Zlodaex I hate humans, social behaviours give me negative emotions
One of the best videos that I have seen!
Such an awesome video with valuable insights!
Human nature 101
maybe Human Culture and the dynamic Thought Styles which give it energy and life.
Actually, the catalyst was, at least as it was explained by a friend of the dancing guy, Psilocybin. Try that at your next leadership conference.
Santogold's Unstoppable is a pretty cool song to boot.
🤣🤣🤣
watching this for my college leadership class, enlightening
beautiful video and beautiful commentary
The point of the video was just someone filming a guy at a concert.
The point of the narrative was to explain how important the first follower is in establishing a movement. The principle is the same, if the movement is good or bad. Many people posting are looking at the principles from the wrong angle. I am sure many people posting in a negative light have at least once in their lives been followers, and I am not talking about the first followers. I am talking about following along after several others have had the courage to stand up for what is right.
We are all followers at some time or another. The key is to pay attention to your own values and do not follow JUST to fit in. Believe in what you are following and be thankful for those who had the courage to go against the grain and make a positive difference.
What the narrative failed to mention is couple who stood their ground and did not move from where they were sitting. Two from their group joined in and the other stood and started filming what was going on. The couple did not try to stop what was happening they simply did not follow.
Following and leading are both choices. Choose wisely.
"This video is kinda representing the rise of Nazi Germany"
-TommyKay
lol IK
true
Or iPod owners...Tesla drivers...Trump supporters...
It has two different sides. When the leadership works positively, it makes the whole country rise. When it works negatively, it destroys the whole nation.
In nazi germany there was also a strong premise of extreme violence to motivate the ones slow to follow so its not so clear if it was the same thing but yea there might be a kernal of truth there.
Perfect narrative!
This video of the Dancing Man depicts what it takes to be a leader and how followership also requires leaders. It was crucial that the shirtless guy was approachable and easy to follow. He did just that to gain his first follower, which made him a leader. Then more and more people became comfortable with the situation and joined them in this flash dance. Leadership is important for a movement. However, followership is just as important. To courageously follow, and show others how to follow to help expand the movement. I think the leader and the first follower share many qualities in this video. They are both expressing themselves as being comfortable with being uncomfortable. Yes people did find it funny to dance like that, but sooner than later there were 20 or maybe 30 people joining in and dancing like the two did at the very beginning of the video. What a great video displaying leadership and followership.
My P.E. Teacher showed this in class. Idk what i learned tbh
Drugs
Skerrrrrrrt!!!!
The key is to be the first follower.
Satoshi Nakamoto.
Zackary Gomez or at least to remember that you are powerful in what you choose to follow and to remember that it likely wont work out of you're welcomed condescendingly
simple but very effective lesson on leadership
YES!!! I have been a follower, and yes it is scary especially when you are the leader or first follower, though in time there is movement!!!