You don’t need a title to be a leader. But, it helps.

And for many aspiring leaders, getting noticed and seen as a potential new leader in an organization can be difficult. There are ways to demonstrate leadership skills outside of a formal leadership role, but those skills won’t necessarily bring the position unless noticed. Some organizations have “high potential” programs to identify and develop new leaders, but others don’t—and instead rely on individuals to prove themselves by creating their own development program.

To help with your personal development program, in this article we’ll review four questions you need to ask yourself if you want to become a leader. The answers to these questions will put you in a position to get a leadership position.

0:00 Introduction

Preparing for a leadership role is a continuous process. It involves not only continuing to grow and develop but also continuing to document that growth. Documentation is especially important since your first chance at a leadership position is likely outside of your current organization. And if that happens, know that it’s not a betrayal to the place that helped you develop. Smart leaders know not everyone can stay forever. Instead, they’re excited about your new chance to grow into a leadership role and lead a team toward doing their best work ever.

//DO YOUR BEST WORK EVER

//ABOUT DAVID

He is the best-selling author of four books about business and leadership. His books have won multiple awards and have been translated into dozens of languages. His insights on leadership and teamwork have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, USAToday, Fast Company, the Financial Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and CBS This Morning. Since 2017, Burkus has been ranked as one of the world’s top business thought leaders by Thinkers50. As a sought-after international speaker, his TED Talk has been viewed over 2 million times. He’s worked with leaders from organizations across all industries including Google, Stryker, Fidelity, Viacom, and even the US Naval Academy.

A former business school professor, Burkus holds a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Oklahoma, and a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University.

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//CONNECT

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