--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conformity is for followers, not leaders." description: "\"Conformity is for followers, not leaders.\" — Ulrika Jonsson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg" --- # Conformity is for followers, not leaders. ![“Conformity is for followers, not leaders.” quote by Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg) > “Conformity is for followers, not leaders.” [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True leaders break from conformity, while followers stay within it. **In simple terms:** Leaders defy conformity. Key Takeaway Embrace originality. Themes leadership individuality conformity Mood motivational confident Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - creative projects Key Concepts innovation authenticity influence Questions to Reflect On - What does conformity cost you? - How can you nurture leadership in daily life? A Different Perspective Conformity can be comforting, making change hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Followers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/followers/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [Trust is the emotional glue that binds followers and leaders together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/trust-is-the-emotional-glue-that-binds-followers-and-leaders-together/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [The leader is one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leaders and followers. ... Leaders, followers and goals make up the three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-leader-is-one-who-mobilizes-others-toward-a-goal-shared-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My favourite mentor brother told me that there were three kinds of people: followers, leaders and scouts. Scouts are capeable of leadership, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isobelle-carmody/my-favourite-mentor-brother-told-me-that-there-were-three-kinds-of/) [Isobelle Carmody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isobelle-carmody/) > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [Followers want to be taken care of. Leaders want to take care of others. We can all be leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/followers-want-to-be-taken-care-of-leaders-want-to-take-care-of/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Good leaders must become what they want their followers to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nido-r-qubein/good-leaders-must-become-what-they-want-their-followers-to-become/) [Nido R Qubein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nido-r-qubein/) > [“Lions command respect. They are not followers. They are leaders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/lions-command-respect-they-are-not-followers-they-are-leaders/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [the best leaders try to train their followers themselves to become leaders. ... they wish to be leaders of leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/the-best-leaders-try-to-train-their-followers-themselves-to-become/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [WITHOUT FOLLOWERS THERE WOULD BE NO LEADERS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-williams/without-followers-there-would-be-no-leaders/) [AMBER WILLIAMS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-williams/) > [World is full of followers and leaders, and I think that if one can become both and be both, to follow in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ogilvie/world-is-full-of-followers-and-leaders-and-i-think-that-if-one-can/) [George Ogilvie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ogilvie/) > [“Leaders are not, as we are often led to think, people who go along with huge crowds following them. Leaders are people who go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holt/leaders-are-not-as-we-are-often-led-to-think-people-who-go-along-with/) [John Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holt/) > [The new leader is one who commits people to action, who converts followers into leaders, and who may convert leaders into agents of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-new-leader-is-one-who-commits-people-to-action-who-converts/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [“FRUITS AND NUTS Keep jumping around them like monkeys. The clones, Commercialized zombies, And the TV junkies. Keep throwing berries, Twigs, And nuts at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/fruits-and-nuts-keep-jumping-around-them-like-monkeys-the-clones/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Learn How To Be Leader Not A Follower Because Being A Follower Sometimes Lead You Into Something Good Or Bad...So Be Independent Not Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/learn-how-to-be-leader-not-a-follower-because-being-a-follower/) Out Spoken > [Leaders think differently about themselves, and this distinguishes them from followers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/leaders-think-differently-about-themselves-and-this-distinguishes/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) ## More by Ulrika Jonsson > [Misogyny is still very much alive and kicking in the world of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/misogyny-is-still-very-much-alive-and-kicking-in-the-world-of-football/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [My early childhood was notable by an absence of proper meals and highly processed food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/my-early-childhood-was-notable-by-an-absence-of-proper-meals-and/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I worked for Andy Coulson and he was very clear... that obviously if a story was to come up about me, he had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-worked-for-andy-coulson-and-he-was-very-clear-that-obviously-if-a/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [There's no denying that being single means the world can assume there's something wrong with you - sees you as incompetent, a loser and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/there-s-no-denying-that-being-single-means-the-world-can-assume-there/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [People who write off women over 40 are wrong to do so. This is when many women's lives truly start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/people-who-write-off-women-over-40-are-wrong-to-do-so-this-is-when/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [But a lot more women in their 50s are taking greater freedoms and having more independence. I rail against this whole thing that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/but-a-lot-more-women-in-their-50s-are-taking-greater-freedoms-and/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I have always been a practical gal. Algebra and I never got on but I could replace the oil in a Fiat Mirafiori from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-have-always-been-a-practical-gal-algebra-and-i-never-got-on-but-i/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [Life gets busy and we choose the path of least resistance when it comes to bringing up our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/life-gets-busy-and-we-choose-the-path-of-least-resistance-when-it/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [Because while society will never want me to be content with my body, I want to try to embrace it. It carries the hallmarks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/because-while-society-will-never-want-me-to-be-content-with-my-body-i/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I have been known to catastrophise some things when life's not going as I'd hoped or planned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-have-been-known-to-catastrophise-some-things-when-life-s-not-going/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I'm no diva, so the idea of 'rough-ing it' in Scotland's Inner Hebrides posed no panic in my heart. I'm a Swede. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-m-no-diva-so-the-idea-of-rough-ing-it-in-scotland-s-inner-hebrides/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I refuse to surrender my Swedish passport despite having lived in this country for 43 of my 54 years because it gives me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-refuse-to-surrender-my-swedish-passport-despite-having-lived-in/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [I have always believed that giving children choice is a terrible idea. The more choice you give, the more they will run rings around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/i-have-always-believed-that-giving-children-choice-is-a-terrible-idea/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [A tag I am happy to bear is that of feminist. I was born in one of the most egalitarian countries in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/a-tag-i-am-happy-to-bear-is-that-of-feminist-i-was-born-in-one-of-the/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) > [My experience of the press has always been one of fear. They make me nervous and scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/my-experience-of-the-press-has-always-been-one-of-fear-they-make-me/) [Ulrika Jonsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) [Explore all 94 Ulrika Jonsson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/) ## More Conformity quotes > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [The Chains of conformity click in tiresomely monotonous unison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-chains-of-conformity-click-in-tiresomely-monotonous-unison/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [A self is a frightening thing to waste, it's the lens through which one's whole life is viewed, and few people are willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/a-self-is-a-frightening-thing-to-waste-it-s-the-lens-through-which/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [Ideation is not a synonym for innovation, conformity is not its simple antonym, and innovation is not the automatic consequence of "creative thinking.".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/ideation-is-not-a-synonym-for-innovation-conformity-is-not-its-simple/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [“I lead with the knowingness that my reality conforms to my wishes and desires instantly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-baker/i-lead-with-the-knowingness-that-my-reality-conforms-to-my-wishes-and/) [Robin S. Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-baker/) > [Alas, everything that men say to one another is alike; the ideas they exchange are almost always the same, in their conversation. But inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-musset/alas-everything-that-men-say-to-one-another-is-alike-the-ideas-they/) [Alfred de Musset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-musset/) > [The search for truth is a cooperative, unending endeavor. We can, and should, engage in it to the extent we can and encourage others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-search-for-truth-is-a-cooperative-unending-endeavor-we-can-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Seeds have the power to preserve species, to enhance cultural as well as genetic diversity, to counter economic monopoly and to check the advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/seeds-have-the-power-to-preserve-species-to-enhance-cultural-as-well/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“Brontë was attempting to depict a character that adheres to the unchanging principles of her faith though she refused conformity to the particular practices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-swallow-prior/bront-was-attempting-to-depict-a-character-that-adheres-to-the/) [Karen Swallow Prior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-swallow-prior/) > [Officers conditioned to conformity in peacetime cannot be expected to behave boldly and flexibly in combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-yingling/officers-conditioned-to-conformity-in-peacetime-cannot-be-expected-to/) Paul Yingling > [The more civilized a nation, the more conformed its population, until that civilization's last age arrives, when multiplicity wages war with conformity. The former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/the-more-civilized-a-nation-the-more-conformed-its-population-until/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-everywhere-is-in-conspiracy-against-the-manhood-of-every-one/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Deaths, births, and marriages, considering how much they are separately dependent on the freedom of the human will, should seem to be subject to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/deaths-births-and-marriages-considering-how-much-they-are-separately/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 937 Conformity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conformity is for followers, not leaders.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ulrika Jonsson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conformity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49c/ulrika-jonsson-7168_conformity_conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders_2613727.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Conformity is for followers, not leaders.” — Ulrika Jonsson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ulrika Jonsson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrika-jonsson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Conformity is for followers, not leaders.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrika-jonsson/conformity-is-for-followers-not-leaders/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```