How a Shirtless Dancing Guy Can Teach Us About Leadership
The actual title of the 3-minute training video was Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy and from the image above, you can see that he was shirtless and that this video was shot long before we had 4k features on our phones.
Nonetheless, this was a fun video that we incorporated at Dell in building our Employee Activation Program – one where we trained over 10,000 employees to speak on behalf of the company through social media. It’s a fascinating case study that I does not receive the press or accolades it deserves, but that a story for another time. Here’s a link to the video: here. And it’s beautifully narrated by Derek Silvers. (www.silvers.org/ff)
The Scene
A lone guy starts dancing at an outdoor event. He looks ridiculous. But then something fascinating happens—a single person joins him. Then another. Then more. Within minutes, what started as one oddball turns into a full-fledged movement.
So, what does this teach us about leadership? A lot.
Key Leadership Lessons 🏆
✅ The First Follower is Crucial – The real movement starts when the first follower joins in. They validate the leader’s actions and paves the way for others to follow.
✅ A Leader Must Embrace Early Followers – Did you notice how the leader embraced the first follower? He welcomed them and treated him as an equal. A true leader knows it’s about the movement, not about him.
✅ The Second and Third Followers Are the Game-Changers – The tipping point happens when the second and third followers step in. Now, it’s no longer just one or two people dancing—it’s a group. Social proof kicks in, and the movement gains credibility.
✅ Visibility is Key – Movements need to be public. If no one sees it, no one will join.
✅ Followers Inspire More Followers – People don’t just follow leaders; they follow other followers. The momentum builds when more people see that it’s okay to join.
Final Takeaway 🚀
We often talk about leadership as one person leading a charge. But the truth is, movements are made by those brave enough to be the second and third followers.
So next time you see someone doing something great, don’t just admire from a distance. Have the guts to be among the first few who join in and show others how to follow. That’s how change really happens.
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