Below is Derek Sivers’ great TED talk about the roles of leadership and followers and creating a movement.
Derek highlights the important moment when it becomes more uncool not to dance than to dance. This is the point where the leaders efforts pay off and the followers take on the leader’s ideas to create a movement.
And although he doesn’t put it in these terms, what Derek is describing is a tipping point. Hence what we are seeing is evidence of tipping point leadership.
In complex systems, a tipping point is a critical point at which which the system shifts radically and potentially irreversibly into a different state of equilibrium. It represents a sudden and extreme change of state, rather than a gradual shift.
Interestingly, researchers W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne have identified, how tipping point leadership can work in organisations.
They say that tipping point leadership:
“hinges on the insight that in any organization, once the beliefs and energies of a critical mass of people are engaged, conversion to a new idea will spread like an epidemic, bringing about fundamental change very quickly.
The theory suggests that such a movement can be unleashed only by agents who make unforgettable and unarguable calls for change, who concentrate their resources on what really matters, who mobilize the commitment of the organization’s key players, and who succeed in silencing the most vocal naysayers.”
Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2003). Tipping point leadership. harvard business review, 81(4), 60-69.
In tipping point leadership, the first follower is often more important than the leader. As a leader, identify and nurture your early adopters—they validate your vision and make it safe for others to follow. This counterintuitive insight challenges the traditional view of leadership as a solo endeavour.
Dancing guy illustrates this perfectly. The first dancer looked like a crazy person dancing alone. But when the second person joined, everything changed. The second person transformed the first from a crazy person into a leader. The third person proved it was becoming a movement, not just two people.
In organizational contexts, first followers serve several critical functions:
Validation: They signal to others that your idea has merit. Their endorsement carries weight because they chose to follow, not because they had to.
Translation: First followers often understand your vision and can communicate it to others in ways that resonate. They become your ambassadors and advocates.
Momentum: They help you reach the critical mass needed for broader adoption. Most people prefer to join movements rather than start them.
Feedback: Early adopters provide valuable input that helps you refine your approach before broader implementation.
The key is identifying potential first followers before you need them. Look for people who:
Have influence within the organisation
Are open to new ideas and change
Share values aligned with your vision
Have complementary skills to help implement your ideas.
Strategic question: If you are leading a big change or new project, who are your potential first followers, and how are you supporting them?
First follower development strategy:
Map the influencers in your network
Identify those most aligned with your vision
Invest time in understanding their perspectives and concerns
Give them opportunities to shape and improve your ideas
Recognize their contributions publicly
Support their own leadership development
Support tactics:
Include them in planning and decision-making
Give them platforms to share their perspectives
Provide resources and tools they need to be effective
Shield them from criticism when they take risks supporting you
Help them succeed in their own objectives
Related Posts
You can find all of my posts on leadership here.
You can find all of my posts on complexity here.