How to Prove You’re Ready for Leadership (Even if No One Sees it Yet)

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.  When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

- Jack Welch

People don’t see you as a leader

Have you ever felt like you’re ready for the next step, but someone or something keeps blocking the door? You’ve got the skills, the drive, and the results, but the opportunities are nowhere to be found.

A few years into my career, I had been promoted a couple of times, but always as an individual contributor. I knew that to grow, I needed to step into a role with team leadership. The problem was, no one else seemed to see me that way.

Then, during a conversation with my manager, I got hit with a truth bomb:

“People don’t see you as a people leader, so it might be hard to convince them to give you an opportunity.”

That one stung.

But the thing is, he was right. I had been so focused on being great at my current role that I wasn’t doing anything to prove I was ready for the next one.  Someone once said to me, “to prove you are ready for the next role, you need to excel at 100% of your current job, and take on 10-20% of the role you want.”

Looking back, here’s what I wish I had known sooner:

“Start where you are.  Use what you have.  Do what you can.”

- Arthur Ashe

If you want the role, start acting like you already have it.  How?

1️⃣ Reframe your narrative: 

It’s not about what you’ve done, it’s about how what you do benefits them. Stop leading with your resume. Instead, show decision-makers how promoting you solves their problems.

2️⃣ Control what you can:

You can’t control when the “perfect” role opens up, but you can control how people perceive you. Build relationships. Master new skills. Pay attention to the company’s biggest pain points, then position yourself as the solution.

3️⃣ Change perceptions, change your future:

If people don’t see you as a leader, make them see it. Step up in meetings, mentor peers, and take ownership beyond your job description. Leadership isn’t a title, it’s how you show up when it counts.

4️⃣ Know when to push vs. when to wait:

Should you fight for that next role now, or wait for the right moment? Ask yourself:

• Am I demonstrating leadership, or just wanting it?

• Have I built relationships with decision-makers?

• Is waiting going to serve me, or just delay progress?

5️⃣ Your reputation is your currency:

Being the “get-it-done” person is great, but that’s not always enough. If people only see you as a lone wolf, they won’t trust you to lead. Start showing that you can influence, collaborate, and bring people along for the ride.

6️⃣ Advocate like your career depends on It (because it does):

No one is sitting around planning your promotion. Make sure the right people know what you bring to the table.

👉 Actionable Step: Book a 1:1 with your boss and ask: “What would it take for me to be considered for a leadership role?” Then, act on the feedback.

7️⃣ Uncertainty is part of the game

You can do everything right and still not get the role. But every step you take toward leadership, every relationship built, every skill gained, puts you in a stronger position for when the opportunity does come.

8️⃣ Create urgency:

If you want people to take action, make it impossible for them to ignore you. Highlight how your leadership can solve a real problem now, not just in the future.

👉 Actionable Step: Identify one gap in your team’s performance. Develop a small initiative to address it. Share results. Leaders don’t wait, they fix things.

Start leading now

“Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily even if you had not title or position.”

- Brian Tracy

Less than a year after that conversation, I landed my first leadership role: managing a team of seven sales reps. Within that year, we won District of the Year.

My journey wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t linear. But by reframing how I approached leadership, I turned a no into a not yet, and then into a yes.

If you’re stuck in the waiting game, here’s my advice:

🔥 Keep pushing.

🔥 Keep advocating.

🔥 And most importantly, stop waiting for permission to lead. Start leading now.

Your future boss is watching. Make sure they see what you’re really capable of.