"Do you feel most comfortable being a leader, a follower, or a collaborator?"
As soon as I seen the topic for today the first thought that zoomed into my head was the scene from Disney’s Peter Pan where John, Michael, and the Lost Boys decide to go off into the forest in search of Indians singing “I’m following the leader wherever he may go!” While I have had the privilege of being a leader in the course of my life, I much prefer the easy going role of follower or collaborator. A cop out maybe, but at least it isn’t my head on the chopping block if all goes to $hit. I would rush right into line following along behind singing at the top of my lungs shaking my happy a$$ as I go. I simply must inject fun into whatever I am doing no matter what I am doing and acting like I am a sandwich short of a picnic basket does not a good leader make.
While I am happy as a collaborator and enjoy injecting my two cents where needed, I am even more happy avoiding all the drama of leadership and following along and going with the flow. As I think back over the course of my life and the moments when I have been thrust into a leadership position, I have always found myself feeling uneasy in that top spot. I handled the burden of having everyone look at me for answers but I much prefer being the one doing the looking than being the one being looked at.
I like being in the trenches doing what needs to be done instead of Captain Bligh directing the underlings. That just isn’t me. I don’t have a forceful enough personality or the self confidence to lay down the law with anyone other than my own kids and husband. Correction, when pushed and thoroughly pi$$ed I have absolutely no problem standing up for myself and telling someone just how it is. When a backbone is needed, I pull up my big girl panties and show that I have just as many balls as the next person. I simply have no desire to be in charge.
It is not that I don’t have an opinion or that I don’t care, it is simply that when push comes to shove I would rather someone else take up the mantle of leadership and run with it. I will be happy to follow merrily along until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.
