You may not think of yourself as a leader, but you are. Even if you think you are the least charismatic person in the room, trust me – people are watching you and paying attention. We all do this constantly, it seems to be hardwired into our neurological awareness of our environment. We watch other humans for clues on how we should behave.
We want to know who we can trust, and we are subconsciously assessing for three things: who’s a potential threat, who’s a potential ally, and who seems like they’d know what to do if things go catastrophically bad. We are tribal creatures – developing this awareness was necessary for our survival.
But the more you explore this idea, the deeper it gets. For example, people will hold themselves to a higher moral standard if they see someone else behaving morally. Likewise, violent mob mentality will sweep up everyone in its path if left unchecked…
You’d do well to remember this the next time you think no one is looking.