The best leads are also good followers

My style of lead had often been coined as 'planting' the girl because I tend to put her exact where I want her to go. "Plant her feet at the spot".

But it doesn't always work that way!

Some girls just do not give you the connection or the leverage to let you 'plant'.
Some girls are just too fast for you to 'plant'.
Some songs are just too fast for it too.

In many situations, the lead can only 'signal' the follower what he wants her to do...
Then depending on how she reacts, the lead will have to adapt quickly.

Example, you want her to go forward X distance. Instead she went X + Y (i.e. further than you want).
If the move you are doing prevents you from being able to stop her from going that extra distance.... What can you do? To me, the easy way out, is to move that extra Y with her. Then we will stay in sync and I will be able to continue with what I've wanted to do next!

I call this... following the follower :)

In this way, the dance will be smoother, less jarring stops, disconnects, etc.
This is the same concept as dancing to the follower's level.