Leadership Isn’t About Your Job Title

You don’t need to be the boss to be a leader. Here are three actions you can take to hone your leadership skills right now and become a highly respected and influential team member.

• Embrace your existing strengths. Start by asking yourself: Which tasks at work feel most energizing and natural to you? Which projects do you excel at and enjoy? What unique perspective do you bring to the table? Your strengths, identity, and interests are what set you apart. The more you understand yourself, the more you’ll be able to carry yourself with the confidence of a leader.
• Devote time to daily development. Improving your skills will help you expand your impact and influence. For example, maybe your organization values leaders who can back up their ideas with hard data and insights, or those who project empathy, curiosity, and compassion. Whatever it is, take note and prioritize developing those skills and projecting growth on a daily basis.
• Connect with people. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert (or somewhere in between), you can establish the kinds of meaningful relationships that are key to building influence on your team. Commit to being vulnerable, authentic, and empathetic in your interactions with your colleagues.

Read the full article: “You Don’t Need to Be ‘the Boss’ to Be a Leader ”

Join Amy Gallo and Amy Bernstein, hosts of HBR’s podcast?Women at Work, for a half day of live, virtual conversations that’ll lift you up and move you forward. You’ll come away better prepared to communicate for influence and impact, inspired by stories of organizational change, and plugged into new management research findings. Join us April 27 from 12:00p – 4:00p EDT. Register?here . See you there!

Learn more:

When You’re Doubting Your Leadership — and Others Are, Too

Research: To Be a Good Leader, Start By Being a Good Follower

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