A good submissive is often a wonderful leader. It may seem paradoxical. After all, aren’t submissives supposed to follow? The caricature of submissives is a little mouse, quiet except for “yes, Sir” and “thank you, Sir.” But submissives lead in a great many ways.
Submissives lead by example. They lead by showing up every day and honoring their commitment to the dynamic. They lead by showing their Dominant that obedience and service are for always, not just when it’s easy. It takes a lot of strength to kneel when you are tired, when you are emotionally struggling, when your confidence is shaken. It is easier to withdraw or to take back control, rather than trusting someone else with it. When submissives choose their submission over and over again, this shows faith in a vision for what the dynamic should be. It shows courage and resolve. And with this leadership, submissives inspire leadership in their Dominants with their unrelenting need to follow.
Submissives lead by providing their Dominants opportunities to lead. Sometimes submissives sense that their Dominants need a reminder that they hold the leash. When they are stressed or feeling unsure, sometimes they need to feel their partners’ submission. That connection sustains both sides of the slash. Submissives lead by recognizing when their Dominant needs to connect through power exchange and offering an opportunity to lead. They ask permission. They ask their Dominant to choose for them. They kneel with their Dominant’s favorite implement in hand. But it is up to the submissive sometimes to see the need and act on it.
Submissives lead by helping their Dominants understand their needs. This is not topping from the bottom; it is giving Dominants all the information they need to care for their property. Imagine the Dominant is blindfolded, walking a path with their submissive. The Dominant knows where they want to go. They know if they head directly west, they will reach the most perfect little town. But the submissive can see that heading directly west will send them through swamps and rocky terrain. The submissive leads by being the Dominant’s eyes—explaining the obstacles and allowing the Dominant to find a different course that will reach the destination. This is not the same as telling the Dominant where to go, just as sharing your needs is not topping from the bottom.
Once in a D/s relationship, I was struggling with a lack of spankings. I tried telling him I needed a spanking. He’d nod, and then the next time, he’d throw me down and treat me roughly. He made sure I felt owned. But I still needed a spanking. Finally, I laid it out for him. “When I say I need a spanking, I don’t mean I need kink. I don’t mean that we’ve gone too vanilla. I don’t mean that I need you to hurt me. I mean that I need a spanking, and nothing else will do.” This felt decidedly unsubmissive to me. But through his response, I realized that this kind of guidance was the most submissive thing I could do. I showed him how to lead us. Without my leadership, he could not lead.
Submissives lead by serving as a beacon of light. As a submissive, I light the path, and my Dominant leads us down it. I do not decide. But I may shine a light on a decision to be made, so my Dominant can decide. Without a submissive’s leadership, their Dominant is just wandering in the dark. It’s not just that submissives do lead; it’s that they must lead at times for the dynamic to be successful.
“If my Master is lost, I’ll find him. I’ll lead him back to himself, because to serve doesn’t always mean to follow.” ―Joey W. Hill
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