Leading From Where You Are: Influence Before Authority
By Sophie Makonnen
What if leadership doesn't begin with a title, but with behaviors developed long before a formal promotion?
Are we waiting for the title or formal recognition to step into leadership? The assumption is that authority comes from position, but often it’s the opposite. Titles usually recognize existing leadership, rather than starting it.
This idea ties to my piece From Doing to Leading where people find themselves leading before they feel ready. The point is: don't wait for a crisis or a title. Learn and practice leadership before it's officially required; this prepares you for future opportunities.
Think about colleagues you have trusted most in your career. Many were likely not your supervisors. They took initiative, offered support in tough times, or steadied the team during chaos. Their leadership relied on credibility, initiative, and trust, rather than hierarchy.
This is encouraging news. Leadership can be cultivated at any time, regardless of your title. By acting now, you not only build your capabilities but show you are ready if or when promotion comes, illustrating the core argument that leadership starts before recognition.
What Leading Without a Title Looks Like
What does it mean to lead without a title? It’s not about taking over, speaking the loudest, or acting like you have all the answers. Instead, it appears in small, steady actions that earn trust and make a daily impact.
It can mean taking responsibility for outcomes beyond your own tasks. Rather than saying, “That’s not my concern,” you notice what needs attention and help move it forward.
It might be sharing knowledge with a colleague who is finding their way or offering encouragement when someone hesitates. Mentoring does not have to be formal to have an impact.
It might seem like speaking up with an idea in a meeting or asking a question that no one else has asked yet. In my blog, Speak Up. Take Space. Lead Now argued that credibility doesn’t come only from years of experience. It grows when you step forward with contribution and perspective, even if your voice shakes. Leading without a title often begins with exactly that, showing up, even when you’re not sure you’re “ready.”
It can be as simple as following through. When you keep your word, admit mistakes, and give credit, people notice. Integrity builds a quiet authority no title can replace.
These moments are where leadership happens, whether a job description lists it or not.
Why It Matters
Waiting for a title before taking action can hold you back. If we only see leadership as something that begins with a promotion, we risk missing all the opportunities to influence where we are right now.
The truth is, leadership grows through practice. Every time we take initiative, build trust, or step forward with integrity, we shape how others perceive us and how we perceive ourselves. These small moments add up. They prepare us for future opportunities, but they also matter in the present, because they create stronger teams and healthier work environments.
When the formal title eventually arrives, leadership has already begun. It merely acknowledges what has long been practiced in daily decisions and actions. Begin today by identifying one opportunity to lead right where you are and take that first step.
Simple Habits That Strengthen Leadership
As Forbes contributor Caroline Castrillon points out, building influence without authority depends less on position and more on trust, credibility, and relationships. Her perspective resonates deeply with what I’ve observed in leadership, and it connects well with some practical steps you can begin applying right away.
Build relationships by listening. Influence grows when people feel heard. This isn’t about being everyone’s friend, but about showing genuine curiosity and respect. Listening deeply fosters the kind of trust that Caroline Castrillon highlights as the foundation of effective leadership.
Create allies by recognizing others. Influence is never carried alone. Acknowledging contributions and offering support not only strengthens relationships, it also builds a network of colleagues who will advocate for you in return. Leadership is as much about lifting others as it is about advancing your own work.
Own problems and follow through. Reliability matters. When you take responsibility, not just spotting what’s wrong but moving it forward, you build credibility. That consistency makes people more willing to follow your lead, even without a title.
Speak up, even when you’re not fully ready. Credibility doesn’t come from being the most senior or the most polished. It comes from contributing. Sharing an idea or asking the question no one else has asked yet shifts the conversation.
Embrace resistance with curiosity. Pushback isn’t failure. As Castrillon suggests, resistance can reveal blind spots, clarify misunderstandings, or strengthen your ability to explain your vision more persuasively.
These steps are not glamorous, and they may not even be noticed right away. But they shape how others experience you. Over time, they add up to a quiet form of leadership that others come to trust and that titles eventually confirm rather than create.
Leadership does not begin with a title. It grows from making everyday choices to taking initiative, listening, following through, and supporting others. These small actions create influence long before any formal authority arrives.
When a title does come, it is not the beginning of leadership but the recognition of what has already been practiced.
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