TM 312 || 37: Lead or follow.
Dec. 11th, 2009 01:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
not_oreoWould you rather lead or follow? Why? What role do you see yourself playing out over your life, leader or follower?
Lead.
When I'm the best person for the job. Because I am the best person for the job. Which is usually.
No, I'm not perfect; nobody is. But I have what it takes. It's not just that I was born special - those I lead are all so; some of their powers may even far exceed mine. And I have what it takes even when I don't have those powers. The qualities that make a leader have no direct relation to his or her brute strength. It helps to be able to defend your position in a direct confrontation; happily, the jungle law is not all that works anymore.
If it were, I obviously would have had to fight way more than just Scott, after the Professor disappeared. But... everybody knew it was between him and me. Scott used to be a good leader; Goddess, I've followed him in enough missions, and he's been capable of making it through, of getting us through. Of keeping us together, and of winning, and we need that.
Except he wasn't anymore. He had too much on his mind, and he couldn't concentrate, and I knew that I could win, even if I didn't have any special powers, just the skills I have acquired through the years, and the focus to make the best leader for the team. He wasn't who could get us through anymore; I still was.
The knowledge of the blood of queens and priestesses in my veins didn't do any harm, but it didn't win the duel. It was being at the top of my game, or as close to that as I could get, with my limitations at the time.
When I can lead, I will. I have, I do.
When I need to follow, I do that, too. Because there are times when that is necessary, too. Even a queen may need to follow, if only the advice of those who may know more than she does, and, much as I wish to, I don't know everything.
That is how I see myself playing my life over. Sometimes I lead, sometimes I follow, and while I probably will do more of the former, they'll both be there. Always.
And sometimes, both at the same time.
Of course, when I'm following, I need to be so very careful whose leadership I fall behind or under. But then, don't we all?
One of the advantages to leadership is that you don't have to fall pray to the stupidity of others.
Then again, I do keep company where that's not too much of a problem.
Muse: Ororo Munroe
Fandom: X-men
Word count: 434
Lead.
When I'm the best person for the job. Because I am the best person for the job. Which is usually.
No, I'm not perfect; nobody is. But I have what it takes. It's not just that I was born special - those I lead are all so; some of their powers may even far exceed mine. And I have what it takes even when I don't have those powers. The qualities that make a leader have no direct relation to his or her brute strength. It helps to be able to defend your position in a direct confrontation; happily, the jungle law is not all that works anymore.
If it were, I obviously would have had to fight way more than just Scott, after the Professor disappeared. But... everybody knew it was between him and me. Scott used to be a good leader; Goddess, I've followed him in enough missions, and he's been capable of making it through, of getting us through. Of keeping us together, and of winning, and we need that.
Except he wasn't anymore. He had too much on his mind, and he couldn't concentrate, and I knew that I could win, even if I didn't have any special powers, just the skills I have acquired through the years, and the focus to make the best leader for the team. He wasn't who could get us through anymore; I still was.
The knowledge of the blood of queens and priestesses in my veins didn't do any harm, but it didn't win the duel. It was being at the top of my game, or as close to that as I could get, with my limitations at the time.
When I can lead, I will. I have, I do.
When I need to follow, I do that, too. Because there are times when that is necessary, too. Even a queen may need to follow, if only the advice of those who may know more than she does, and, much as I wish to, I don't know everything.
That is how I see myself playing my life over. Sometimes I lead, sometimes I follow, and while I probably will do more of the former, they'll both be there. Always.
And sometimes, both at the same time.
Of course, when I'm following, I need to be so very careful whose leadership I fall behind or under. But then, don't we all?
One of the advantages to leadership is that you don't have to fall pray to the stupidity of others.
Then again, I do keep company where that's not too much of a problem.
Muse: Ororo Munroe
Fandom: X-men
Word count: 434
