Crowd leader, follower, or other?
 

This got me thinking a bit after having a lengthy discussion with a friend the other night about a majority of people are. In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's the definitions (non-technical so don't quote me):

CROWD LEADER: You're the one that starts things up. You make the rules that your fellow crowd members stick by. When you go left, they go left. Your personality is large enough that people just flock to you just because it's the cool thing to do.

CROWD FOLLOWER: You're the underling that obeys all or most of the orders of the Crowd Leader. You rarely have your own suggestions because you fear being 'uncool'. The leader goes left and you follow. Simple as that.

OTHER: You're the one that has sat back and watched the rat race and you decided to invent your own path. The Crowd Leader and Followers go left, you go right. Most of the time, you do stuff opposite of what the majority does, almost to the point where it seems like you're doing it on purpose.

I can already and honestly say that I'm an Other. Everybody that knows me knows me as the odd person out of the loop. I'd rather be doing my own thing than what most people are doing.

Which one are you and why?

I'm a mix between a Follower and an Other. While I go with the flow a lot, I just as often go in a completely separate direction. I'm not one to do something completely strange to the point where it seems like I'm purposely trying to be different, since I don't really like drawing attention to myself.

Even though I'm a follower, I don't "follow" to fit in. I just follow what I feel like following, and I do what I want. This has caused people to comment on my aloofness, as I tend to just go off doing whatever I want, but oh well. :p

I would say I'm a mix of a follower and an other as well. While I do follow what others are doing, I'm also usually the first one who will go and do my own thing as well. There have been lots of times when I have just totally zoned out of my friends' conversation and just started doing something else. Basically, I follow when something interests me, but I do my own thing once I'm not interested any more.

I'm usually accused of purposely going against the flow. It's not my fault if I don't agree with 99.9% of the stuff the majority rules does. It's very rare that the crowd does something I'm actually interested in.

I tend to be a mix of all three. Often times I will do my own thing, apart from the crowd. But this mostly depends upon the nature of what I am going against. Sometimes, I will be a follower, because there is no real shame in letting someone else lead. And some other times, I will be a leader. This also depends upon the nature of what is going on.

I'm a total follower! I'll cling around my friends, especially when they're with others and follow them around. I don't like trying to find opportunities to break away even though I feel out of place sometimes. This always applies when my friends meet their friends, or if it's not just me and one other friend.

Although with my very closest of friends, I'm a crowd leader.

I don't like the role of leader at all. The only time I play follower is in school (I can't exactly go on strike about homework :( ) and when I'm in church.

I'm a mix between crowd leader and Other.

I tend to have an influence on people that inclines them to follow me, but often if i'm in the presence of another crowd leader i will back off, and become a bit of a follower, while still trying to keep some influence. Sometimes i will get into a big of a power struggle with other leaders for stuff like creative control, or whatever depending on what's going on.

I'm the other. People think I'm weird. That's why I don't have much friends... I have a good amount of acquaintances... It's good though. I think it's better to have a small amount of of close friends then a lot of friends who you couldn't share your secrets with...

Me and my friends are, The NON-CONFORMISTS! Hurray for us.
The three of us!.

Mostly other, sometimes leader though. Every now and then people admire my excessive disregard of social norms and ability to not give a flying fuck about what other people think, so I find myself with groupies time to time.

Somehow I end up attracting groupies at work because I'm the one everybody wants to complain to about someone else, but they're too scare to ask HR to deal with the problem. I'm sick of telling people I'm not the team leader and I can't complain on their behalf (I would if I could).

I suppose I'm a mixture of the three personalities. Most of the time I like to guide a certain discussion or course of action but not stand out as much as possible. I think everyone has something to contribute and this is what I want to come out in any group.

Good question :) .
If there is something that I disagree with, then I go my own way. So I'd fit in the "Other" section.

I would also be a mixture of follower and other. I'm a laid back person (as Aussies tend to be) and just go with what the majority are doing. However, I can also do the opposite of what everyone else is doing only for the sake of being an individual.

For example, my dad and my brothers are all into the technical side of computers. So they tend to have occupations that involve computers. I on the other had preferred to work with people, so I became a teacher...

I'm a definite other. Its not that I do it on purpose, but I just find that the "popular" path doesn't fit my personality. So I just find the path that best suits me.
Or you could always do what I'm doing...teach computers :D

I'm a Crowd leader mixed with other. It's more like my dynamically engaging personality attracts people and they slowly become my friends but my overly enthusiatic nature draws them in it's wake and they become followers. Then they bring people and it just becomes a big bother and that's when I try to break away and go back to basics; which never works.

So I'm a mix of the two. Unfortunately.

Other, I much rather sit back and let events take place than actually participate. I figure you are who you are, why lead or follow just do what you want. Things go a lot more smoothly that way, less drama and all that shit. :juggler:

I'm definitely a follower. I'm pliant and eager to please, no matter how hard I try not to be. I essentially just want people to like me and seek to make myself agreeable company, so I find myself telling people what I think they want to hear when I talk to them.

I hate the way I act around other people, so generally I try to be alone as much as possible. The best thing I could say for myself is that I don't let myself get sucked into things that I don't want to do.

I suppose my nebbishness would put me partially into the "Other," category.

Those types really bug me. Well, A certain kind of follower does... the one that agrees with whatever people in the group say and have no opinion of their own.

I think your view of a "follower" is incorrect here. A follower doesn't fear being "uncool." They are complacent people. They, as everyone else does, have the potential to excell and be ontop of things. But they feel too at ease with how things go now. "Ehh, I'm happy with the current conditions, I'll go with it."

They are almost alike uncaring people. If a store only sold red colored computer cases, and our "follower" individual wanted blue, he'd buy the red one anyway:

1. He's at the store already, they have cases in stock. He probably should be grateful they even had any.

2. He feels he can cope with the difference. Blue computer monitor, blue computer mouse, blue keyboard, red tower case. "It's not so bad."

3. He's not in a fighting mood. Intent was to get a blue case. Red is not the goal here. But he does not feel like going through the trouble to argue and force the store's management to their knees for what he wants.

4. A "Crowd leader" would of gone out of his way to get what he wanted. Whether it meant going on a waiting list for the next shipment or tearing the store apart beam by beam. His concerns and needs are too great to sacrifice for the store's failure to keep such items in stock by variety. The store may be self-satisfied with the fact they even sell some of a certain kind, but a leader wouldn't be. Quickly do you then see followers stir up and be aroused to do the same. They want the same things, but just didn't have the know-how to get it.

Reading what you posted, it seems you based your judgements on how a person acts in a specific case. Such a case being involved with a popularity contest amongst other people. Knowing the existing trend for competition and being able to analyze whether you are someone ahead of the gang, or consistantly falling behind.

A driving leader is everyone's worst enemy. A line follower is everyone's best friend. No one person can be dedicated to one or the other of these types of people. Throughout life we play each role several times. It is only how often we are one type more than the other that shoves our names on one side of a dividing line.

You took my definitions literal anyway. I was offering 'general' ideas. By no means are my so-called definitions the be-all, end-all of how these three groups of people are.

I suppose I would also be in the "OTHER" category, because I can be a bit of both, depending on what people I'm around. If I'm around certain more introverted friends, then I tend to be the Leader, coming up with ideas for stuff to do. And my personality is such that I tend to attract outcasts/introverts and they like to do things with me. But I also can get along with extroverts and more outgoing types, but I tend to be less of a leader in that situation. I don't follow blindly, but I tend to have fewer suggestions.

Either way, it doesn't bother me. I'm a libra, so I think I tend to sit on both sides of the fence in most situations :).

Fence-sitting is good! I wonder what category that would fit in...

I tend to be in the other category when by myself and unfamiliar people. If it's with friends I know pretty well, then it can go both ways, usually I end up being follower either because I don't feel the need to lead something, or because someone else has a bigger mouth (usually the bigger mouth).

Depending on the situation I can be either of the three. More often than not, I am the leader with the kind work ethic that spells "efficiency". Mind you I hate leading people, starting things, deciding stuff, etc. However...you have those who like to not be proactive about anything so I have to play the fearless leader. In situations where I am in unfamiliar territory, I'm going to be the follower and I will point out errors in the leaders logic if I notice any. Err this can lead to me converting over to Mr.leader(being me sucks sometimes).

Being in the background or what you call other is a rare thing for me.

I tend to Follow, but never blindly. Usually I'm just out there as Other, doing my own thing, but every so often people like whatever I'm doing with my Other style so then I get to be a Leader. :P

i guess i'm a mix of all three? it just depends who i'm with at the moment... but most of time in the group of friends I'm in, we kinda go with wadever the majority wants for most stuff tat we do

I am hands-downs a leader type. Not because I want to be, mind you. I would probably be happy somewhere lost in the middle of the ranks.

I think my drive to get shit done and be productive is what always puts me ahead of the crowd. People will do as little as they possibly can - especially if someone else is willing to lead the way.

I think it may also have to do with my....uh....interesting way of seeing things. I don't really INSPIRE anyone to do anything, but people will usually crowd up with me.

This happens a LOT in life to me. I'm unsure as to why. Oftentimes, I'd rather just be by myself, enjoying my silence.

Depends on the situation. If it's an issue I feel comfortable with I'm a leader. If it's not, I'm a follower until I learn more about it.

Win.


I'm sometimes a Crowd Follower, but not to the definition that you mentioned.

I'm a mix between all of them.

In highschool I was the crowd leader, of alot of crowds. I'd be setting stuff up even if it isn't my event because everyone always thought I had connections and knew everyone. People would trust me to make stuff happen outside of school. I can't even understand why, I kept to myself the first 2 years of highschool and was the shy/quiet type. Yet I ended up being the most popular at the end.

In university I've been trying to become the follower/other type. If the chance comes along and someone else sets something up, I'd gladly follow. Or else I'd sit the fence. But I've been avoiding setting anything up, my nature gets the better of me sometimes though :P.

I'm an other, but for some reason peple like to follow me ala crowd leader.

I love watching people on the fences (not literally), taking in conversations and getting lost in MY thoughts rather than others. I input a bit here and there and after that I fade back into the background and watch the whole thing again.

But yet people always look highly of me and, using this thread's example, if I turn left they turn left. I never like being the leader but people are always telling me to make the decisions. And when I do, they don't like it but they still put up with it. Bonus?

In conclusion, I'm an other that people think of as a crowd-follower.

I'm the other. I'm no leader, i'm no follower. I'm walking my own path and let everything behind me. I'm just myself.

I'm in the other character. I don't do what any of my friends do and i don't want to. I just do my own thing regardless of what anyone else wants me to do. I used to be a Follower but i soon got bored of that so i just detached myself from all of that and did whatever the hell i wanted to do

In real life, I am a follower. I just do what everyone else does. My suggestions are usually ignored (joy). I'm just not pro-active/confident enough to be a team leader.

When it comes to games, however, I'm an Other. I tend to do my own thing and go to places nobody defends to help the team out.

I don't know what you would call me.

I attract crowd leaders, who follow my lead. But their "followers" never do, and so I am both sort of a leader and an other. Probably more the other. In a crowd of people I have to put up with because my friend is the leader of it, I am usually really disliked, probably because I've put myself in a group without being friends with everyone.

Other
Something about being part of a group scares me... maybe because it has this striking similarity to cults.
And I hate being the leader...I don't want to take responsibility for everyone and something creeps me out when people blindly follow you

I'm a crowd leader. I have more initiatives than most of my friends do. I usually become the conceptor and direct people what they do and don't. But incase there is more dominant person than me, I will usually become the follower.

I hope it's not a bad thing. You know I recently grow tired of becoming leader, it feels like you hold the biggest responsibilty in the group. Just thinking my burdens giving me headache, esp. when people think I will be the one to take care all sort of things. Perhaps, I'm just being used by my irresponsible friends after all.

Hmm...I like to be a 'crowd leader', but in truth, I'm either a 'crowd follower' or 'other.' Why? Like most people have already stated here, it depends on what's in discussion. Whether I sway one way or the other depends on whether or not I'm interested in the topic at hand. If I agree with the majority of the group, I'll shut up and allow the noisy ones take over. It gets kind of redundant listening to the same arguments over and over again. The professor will hopefully take the hint that everyone agrees and end the lecture early and then i can go to karaoke with the people who really matter the most... =D
The only times I'll go 'against the flow' is when I actually give a crap about the subject, feel that one side is totally misunderstood, and therefore create a separate group of my own.