You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader

When we think of leaders, we typically think of people in a position of authority, but leaders are everywhere, and they don’t need a title to have influence. In fact, many leaders don’t have a title. Instead, they might be a coworker who encourages their teammates to work towards their goals, a friend who brings people together, even a spectator who starts the wave in the stands at a sporting event, or anyone else that you might encounter who steps up and stands out. A leader is anyone who guides, influences, and inspires others. You might even be a leader for someone else without realizing it. As John C. Maxwell said, “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” ​

Whoever rises up as a leader depends on the circumstances. Someone may be a leader within one setting, but they are more comfortable being guided by someone else in another setting. That does not make the individual any less of a leader. Instead, it goes to show that different people serve different purposes within their leadership roles. Leaders know when to step into their strengths and when to step back and allow someone else to lead instead.

Take some time to think about all of the leaders you have encountered in your life. Did you follow them because you were told to or because they inspired you? There have likely been instances of both, but the leaders that truly make a difference in other people’s lives are the people who do not command others to follow, but rather they lead with a purpose so strong that others willingly listen to them. Having authority or having a title does not automatically make you a leader– it just makes you in charge.

You don’t need to wait for a title, a promotion, or someone else’s permission to become a leader. You have the potential within you already; you just need to start living into it. Become the kind of leader that you would want to follow.

-Meghan Slaughter