Is the leader truly the most important figure? – How to create a Wave of Change

It’s commonly believed that the leader is the most important. They lead the entire group and set the work rhythm for the whole team. Often, they make key decisions, even on a directional level. This idea brought to my mind the image of Romans rowing in large galleys to the rhythm set by a drum played by the so-called ‘hortator’.

But is that really the case?
Recently, at a training session, I encountered the view that it’s not the leader’s role that is crucial, but rather the so-called ‘first follower’ (first repeater). The truth is that without them, the leader would achieve nothing and would merely be a “regular guy” who most likely does something differently than everyone else.

The concept of the “first repeater” or “first follower” is an important element in the theory of diffusion of innovations and in leadership.

Who is this first repeater?

It’s a person or group who first adopts or imitates the actions, behaviors, or innovations of the leader or pioneer. And it’s these “first followers” who are critical for the acceptance of a new idea and help break the resistance of the majority. They pave the way for widespread acceptance.

What happens when a Leader can’t find such a person or group? They often have to become the first repeater themselves and set an example of behavior or practices before others will adopt them. This makes them engaged and credible.

But it’s not always like that… that’s the most difficult case.

In society, we deal with the term “Crowd Psychology.” People easily observe the actions of others and then quickly decide whether that behavior is right for them. Some people are more prone to action than others, so they make this decision faster and provide the impetus for others who might be interested. It’s easier to take a risk and accept change when someone else has already taken the first steps, right?

So, first followers play a key role in social changes, breaking the status quo, and it is they who create a new norm!

Companies are increasingly trying to identify or even create the first repeater.

This is a mechanism used to popularize a new product or service and is called innovation management. This can contribute to shaping new trends in many fields, including technology and music.

The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion that first repeaters influence leadership, and their actions can not only inspire but attract others to follow in their footsteps.

Considering these points can help understand how first repeaters influence innovation and how their actions can inspire and attract others to follow in their footsteps.

What’s most surprising, though, is the enormous power of an individual and a small group of people to bring about change. It used to be thought that people with great position and high authority had the most influence. However, reality shows that the key “turning point” is the first person who became interested in a given behavior/trend. This requires courage, often even more than the courage of the initiator.

What do you think of this concept? For me, it was very inspiring and made a wow effect at this training.

I highly recommend watching Derek Silvers’s video titled “First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy,” which shows how this works in practice.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ