Negative Leaders

There are some characteristics of leadership that we often overlook. Perhaps because on the surface those concepts seem to contradict the very essence of what we define as "leadership." One of these "overlooked" concepts is that leadership can be a negative trait. Yes, there are negative leaders--lots of them.
Fortunately, however, the negative leader is motivated by group approval. He "leads" the group wherever the group indicates that they want to go. He just hustles to get to the front of the line and yells, "follow me" the loudest.
In addition, the primary motivational tool of the negative leader is guilt. He manipulates peer pressure to get the dissenters to feel as if they are the ones who are wrong--odd. "Strange." "Unreasonable." "I mean," he smiles, "How can you do this to us? Your friends."
His third characteristic is that he nurtures an "us against them" mentality. He tries to identity--or create one if he has to--a common "enemy." He doesn't lead "forward": he leads "against." He's always drawing battle lines or finding new causes to champion.
The negative leader. Proud? Yes, even arrogant. Subtle? Yes, like a snake. Manipulative? Yes. An instigator? Definitely. But a leader, nonetheless. A powerful leader. After all, he leads a willing mob. Dangerous? Deadly. When you meet him, confront. Make him lead a retreat. The friends you save may be your own.