Articles

How you handle yourself when things get tough is more important than your position in the organization. People typically associate leadership with visibility. They link leadership to titles, public roles, or having formal authority. However, authentic leadership is not about status. It shows up when you face challenges or get overlooked. Leadership is not something you announce. It is the set of characteristics others observe in your behavior and actions.1 Leadership is about how you carry yourself and the stance you take. When Authority is Absent, Posture Remains Posture remains when the stereotypical signs of leadership disappear. It is demonstrated in how you respond in difficult situations, such as being interrupted, corrected in public, ignored, or mistreated.2 You do not need a title to lead if you have a leadership posture. Even with authority, you can lose the ability to lead if your posture is lacking. This distinction is important because, too often, people wait for permission to lead. They hold back until they attain a new role, a promotion, or approval from a senior individual. Leadership actually begins much earlier, well before any audiences.3 Posture answers questions that a job title or role cannot answer:Who are you when the situation calls for more than comfort or approval?It reveals your true character when things do not go as planned and when you must act without the safety net of authority. In these moments, your actions and decisions reflect your core...