"Take the lead" is certainly an expression used in the UK to denote guiding people, as in "I'll take the lead". I assume both come from ballroom dancing.

I'm sure it's used elsewhere but it may also simply be a conflation of the two.

Very much so - it's why I came into the comments.

Unfortunately, you violated the law slightly by asking a question!

Cunningham's Law states "the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer."

I think you're underestimating the intelligence of average people. There's definitely a lack of knowledge, but average people are plenty smart to invent everything you've listed. It just takes time and is an iterative process.

I guess that's the part where it screeches and wails like a banshee for about ten minutes?

Damn, I'm glad you made this comment as that is an amazing gif;

I'm hoping RCS' burgeoning ubiquity on Android breaks some of the walls down in Europe, at least.

Yup, hard agree with you on that last point.

That's an interesting example, but note that in Europe, at least, WhatsApp is king. I only mention it because the walled-garden approach Apple favours isn't necessarily a guaranteed outcome, and third-party apps can happily become the norm among non-tech people.