Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way – Meaning & Origin

A phrase you might’ve heard before is “lead, follow or get out of the way”. But what does this phrase actually mean? In what context could you possibly use it? And where does it originate from? This article will answer all of these questions.

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way – Meaning

“Lead, follow, or get out of the way” is a phrase that means that, in a situation where people are working, you need to follow the dynamics involved or not engage with the project in the first place. Therefore, you should either lead, follow, or get out of the way.

What this phrase is saying is that in a situation in which people need to be productive, you have several possibilities. The first of these is that you can lead people as a leader.

The second of these is that you can be a follower, and do what the leader instructs you to do. The phrase is saying that both leader and follower have important roles in life.

If you’re not going to be a leader or a follower, the phrase posits, then you should get out entirely. This is because you wouldn’t be productive if you’re not leading or following.

How to Use  “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way” in a Sentence

Here, we have compiled several example sentences that will teach you how to use “lead, follow or get out of the way” for whenever you need to make use of this phrase:

1. Lead, follow, or get out of the way, I just need you to decide what you will do.
2. You should either lead, follow, or get out of the way, preferably as soon as possible.
3. I taught her that, in life, you either lead, follow, or get out of the way, one of these three.
4. Lead, follow, or get out of the way so the rest of us can actually get the job done without issues.
5. He said to me “lead, follow, or get out of the way”, and he then handed me some documents.
6. When you think about the situation, you can really only lead, follow, or get out of the way.
7. The three things you can do now are either lead, follow or get out of the way.

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way – Origin

Who said “lead, follow or get out of the way” first is unknown, though there are a few possibilities. Some common origins are that the phrase comes from Thomas Paine, Lee Iacocca, and George S. Patton, though Thomas Paine is the most popular one of these.

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way – Synonyms

“Lead, follow or get out of the way” is a phrase that refers to a very specific feeling involving people in a productive environment. There are other phrases that can be used to express very similar sentiments, and here are some of them:

• If you’re not going to participate, you should get out.
• You either collaborate or you leave.
• If you’re here it’s because you want to help.
• In this world you’re either a leader or you’re a follower.
• No matter what you’re here for, you should be doing something.

In What Situations Can You Use  “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way”?

“Lead, follow or get out of the way” is a phrase that, at first glance, you might be fooled into thinking can only be used in very specific situations. However, the range of situations in which you can use it is actually pretty wide, despite what you might think.

If you’re at a workplace and someone does not seem willing to properly engage with the project and what it entails, you can use this phrase to harshly ask them to work with you.

It’s good to remember that this is a very harsh phrase that could easily be taken as rude, which means that you should be extra careful about where and when you use it.

Basically, in any context in which you’re working on a project with someone, and that person doesn’t seem to want to work, you can use this phrase.