[MBTI General] Looking leaderly

[Cimarron]

(Closing this one, re-opening in What's My Type? Forum)

Have you seen this happen, ISPs? People looking to you as a leader, even though you weren't trying to, but you don't mind the attention. Especially if you're a person who has a lot of self-confidence.

One of my best friends is this way, and he's really hard for me to figure out which type he'd be. (so don't be surprised if what I'm describing sounds really off)

He just does things his own way, and although he listens to input from others, he shrugs off criticism like it's nothing. That kind of attitude seems to really repel some people, and really acquire other people as willing fellow experimenters. In his hobbies and his work, he's very very hands-on.

But the main thing I found strange was that he always seems to end up in the leader position of projects and stuff. Does this ring a bell with you guys?

 

[sarah]

Have you seen this happen, ISPs? People looking to you as a leader, even though you weren't trying to, but you don't mind the attention. Especially if you're a person who has a lot of self-confidence.

One of my best friends is this way, and he's really hard for me to figure out which type he'd be. (so don't be surprised if what I'm describing sounds really off)

He just does things his own way, and although he listens to input from others, he shrugs off criticism like it's nothing. That kind of attitude seems to really repel some people, and really acquire other people as willing fellow experimenters. In his hobbies and his work, he's very very hands-on.

But the main thing I found strange was that he always seems to end up in the leader position of projects and stuff. Does this ring a bell with you guys?

Wow... Cimarron, I'm trying but I can't think of too many instances where people thougth of me as a natural leader. Maybe with guys it's different because they might be able to physically dominate a space with their body and booming voice, but I'm small and slight, and I'm more the sort of person pepole want to pat on the head and call "sweetie" and fuss over. (not that I object to being pampered, but that tends to make me not look very leader-like)...

I've actually had to work at cultivating a reassuring presence when it comes to leading parents and kids in programs at work. Whenever I have been in charge of something, I do tend to do things my own way and lead by example. I'd rather get support from people who see what I'm doing and who think it's worth supporting than if I had to argue in favor of what I think is worth doing. I tend to be argument-phobic, for the most part, and I wish I could shrug off criticism like your friend, but I'm pretty annoyingly sensitive.

Basically, I like to "woo" people to my way of thinking and doing things by letting them watch my excitement and enthusiasm for what I'm promoting rather than convincing them by logic or argument that something's good. It works fine some of the time but can also fail spectacularly, depending on whom I'm around.

Sarah

 

[Cimarron]

Cool, well thanks for your thoughts. There's plenty of chance that he's not an ISP anyway, but that's part of why I'm making this thread: to find out.

It seems like it is his passion for whatever project he's currently doing that leads people to see him that way, along with the self-confidence. (you mentioned passion)

 

[Skyward]

The only kind of instance of being a leader I can think of is in my group of friends. I seem more like the lynch-pin, otherwise all my other friends would just do whatever on weekends instead of rampage at my place

 

[millerm277]

Hmm. I've gotten called a natural leader by a bunch of people, but I HATE actually being put in the role of leader of something.

 

[Pancreas]

Often in group projects I don’t plan to but often end up as an accidental leader. I think my ability to quickly decide what ideas and approaches will and will not work and my decisiveness over that set me up initially.

I want to do well so I’m not bothered with telling it how I see it regarding ideas, and then at some point this, somehow, transitions to me organising what will happen, who’s doing what, what we need, etc., etc.

It’s not something I seek and it can get mildly irritating when I want to just get on with something and I’ve got three or four people constantly asking me what they should do.

 

[Hunter]

Heh, I'm not a guy but that I have a tendency to end up in leader type positions. Probably cause I am self-confident, but generally keep quiet if I'm not sure about something. So, when I do speak up, I usually know what I'm talking about so it's not just a bunch of hot air. But at the same time I have no problem with making quick, concise decisions if it's needed.

And around friends, I'm always being looked to to decide what to do next.

 

[Dali]

For some reason, when we have group assignments in class where we have to do a presentation afterwards, everyone wants me as their group speaker but I've rarely been asked to step up to also lead the group. I'm just the vessel through which their ideas flow to the rest of the class. Come to think of it, I should feel used.

 

[Maverick]

I ended up most of the time in the leadership position in group projects. The irony is that the few times where I didn't were the ones where I really wanted to be. I find that when I don't really care and want somebody else to be the leader, others eventually "vote" me in the position. Go figure.

 

[Synarch]

I don't like being THE leader as this generally implies a lot of onerous aspects such as managing people problems, but I do tend to be the strategist and set the ideas in most projects I am involved with.

In a group project, I usually find someone who likes responsibility and let them deal with the details, so I can focus on the vision while they deal on the tactical level, which I find uninteresting. As long as I have veto power (which is actually easier to achieve and more effective) and influence, I do not need to be nominally "in charge". That job is good for management oriented types like ENTJ / ESTJ.

 

[Unique]

happens all the time