Leading Without a Title

Hello and welcome to the Travelling Introvert. Today I want to talk about leadership and redefining it a little. Because leadership isn't always about status. Most of the time it is about trust. We often assume leadership means having a title, having a team, having an office, maybe even having a corner office. But in reality, real leadership shows up long before any of those things. You don't need a title to be a leader, regardless of what you might think. And leadership is about trust.

You can be someone who doesn't have leadership in their title, within a team, and yet people trust you and therefore trust what you say will follow your example. Leadership shows up in ways that you might not even think about. Specifically, have you ever felt that leadership is only reserved for those with authority? If so, think about what that really means and how that authority is given. Is that because of a title? Is that because of having a team? Is that because of. Insert reason here. And does that truly make a leader, and even more so, a good leader? Good leadership and trust is shown in the way that you show up every day, but even more so in a crisis. It's in the calm questions you ask in a heated meeting. It's in your ability to think clearly, act with integrity and guide others through uncertainty.

And let's be honest, many introverts lead by not dominating the room, but by building trust through consistency, through thoughtfulness, through care. And when you know yourself can communicate clearly and stay aligned with your values, people notice, and more importantly, they will be willing to follow. Because leadership is like being a lighthouse guiding ships through a storm. That is what you are as a leader. And I'm sure you, in your everyday life, naturally lead without thinking about it. And that could be in your household, in your family. There's so many different ways to lead. But some things to think about when you're thinking about being a leader is how do you want people to feel when they are being led by you? What does that look like? What would they say? What expressions would they use? How do you want people to feel when they are being led by you? Another thing to think about is what kind of leadership do you naturally respond to? Do you respond to a leader who asks you questions? Will you respond to a leader that writes, do you respond to a leader that's more verbal? What kind of leadership do you naturally respond to? And why? And I'm sure there are lots of answers to this.

But what are some things about leaders that you don't like? What are things that leaders have done that irritate you, that don't show inclusivity that make you feel put down upon Being a leader is knowing yourself, trusting in yourself and going through with what you need to do. Leadership isn't something you chase, it is something you embody. So think about your leadership journey and what that looks like, what that's looked like in the past, and what it could do for you in the future when you aligned with who you are and how you choose to show up. Thank you for listening. This is Janice at the Career Introvert helping you build your brand and get hired. Have a great rest of your week.