… and Why You Matter More Than You Think
Leadership doesn’t always have the flashiest title or even the loudest voice. Sometimes, it’s a shirtless guy dancing alone on a hill.
In Derek Sivers’ classic Ted Talk, we watch a lone dancer doing his thing at a music festival—until one brave soul joins him. That moment transforms everything. Within seconds, dozens follow. The movement wasn’t sparked by the leader—it was the first follower who made it safe, cool, and contagious.
That’s the power of inclusive leadership.
Chuck Herring reminds us in his own viral post: “He [the leader] wasn’t trying to lead. He just refused to stay silent.”
Herring’s inspiring example? A lone man, sitting on a bench in a park begins to sing—loudly and alone—Jon Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Herring explains:
“At first?
Some glanced.
Most ignored.
But then one person joined in.
Then two.
Then twenty.
And by the time he hit the hook—
the whole park was singing.
He didn’t organize.
He didn’t announce.
He didn’t ask for permission.
He simply fully showed up—
and created a moment others didn’t know they needed
until they were already part of it.”
Here’s the thing
Every movement begins with a whisper. A small act of clarity, purpose, or virtue. As I wrote in “The Whisper that Yearns to Be a Roar,” it’s the inner voice—guided by integrity, compassion, or justice—that calls you forward. But if that whisper is ever to roar, it needs others.
So, ask yourself…
- What’s your whisper that’s yearning to be a roar?
- What movement would you love to start—or join?
- Are you brave enough to go first… or wise enough to follow with heart?
Don’t underestimate the ripple effect of one bold act. Whether you’re dancing alone or singing at the top of your lungs in a park, you’re shaping the world.
Because movements don’t always start with leaders. Some begin with the first courageous follower. They always start with connection.
Lead with light. Follow with courage. Spark a movement.
Inspire on!
