Leadership Without a Title: Why You Don't Need Permission to Lead

I was 18 years old when I first walked into The Ohio State University Athletic Facility, also known as "The Woody." I remember feeling like a tadpole in the ocean—completely overwhelmed by the scale of everything around me. What struck me immediately, though, wasn't the facility itself, but the leadership I witnessed every single day. And here's what surprised me most: it wasn't coming from who you'd expect.

The real leaders weren't the ones with titles or captains' bands. They were teammates who cared less about their own well-being and more about protecting what they called "the gift of the team." Nobody was waiting for coaches to step in and lead, develop, or mentor. There were no baby birds waiting to be fed. Instead, teammates were actively leading the organization through what I now recognize as actionable leadership behaviors. You could almost tangibly feel a culture of collaboration, accountability, and open communication.

At 18, I learned a fundamental lesson about leadership: the answer to "when should I lead?" is always NOW.

The Permission Problem

This topic keeps coming up in my coaching calls with clients. So many talented people are waiting—for that org chart shift, that promotion, or their chance to move up the depth chart—before they start acting like leaders. When I ask, "Why do we need the title, the promotion, or the org chart shift before we start adding value through leadership behaviors?" here are the responses I typically hear:

• "I'm not sure I'm allowed to lead"

• "I think they want others to lead"

• "It's not my position to lead"

• "I'm just not confident enough"

• "I'm risk-averse"

• "I tried before, and it didn't help me—it didn't end well"

  
  

Here's what I've learned from working with elite organizations: influence, communication, and the ability to inspire others far outweigh any title, org chart position, or depth chart ranking. Elite members of elite organizations understand they don't need a title to lead from the front.

Actionable Leadership Behaviors Anyone Can Execute

Drawing from my experiences across various high-performing teams, I've identified leadership behaviors that drive action. The best part? Anyone can execute these behaviors, regardless of their formal position.

What does it take? Awareness and intentionality about executing these behaviors.

How do you adopt them? Think about how you can create habits around these within your team.

Here's something important: when we make these behaviors less about us and more about our team, creating mindfulness and habits becomes much easier. When we make it all about ourselves, it becomes challenging. I've seen this play out in real time across several elite teams.

10 Leadership Behaviors That Create Impact

1. Lead by example. Don't wait for others—simply do what's right for the team and organization. Example: "We always touch the line. Don't let me see that again."

2. Build relationships. Lean in, stay curious, and listen without interrupting. Example: "I heard you talking about fishing in the locker room. I've never fished, could you take me sometime?"

3. Share knowledge. Ask yourself: What do I know that could fast-forward someone else's learning? Example: "Come by my room tonight and we'll review the playbook until you have it down. This guy plays the same position as me."

4. Communicate effectively. Consider both spoken and written communication…how can you best reach your audience? Example: "Let me help you communicate with Coach _____."

5. Take initiative. Identify gaps or problems and help solve them. You can apply pressure without being asked. Example: "I've noticed you're often late. Can I help you figure out how to get here on time?"

6. Encourage collaboration. Work to build trust—without it, you cannot truly collaborate. Example: "We will win or lose together. I want you to understand that."

7. Be resilient. Recognize when you need to demonstrate either hard or soft resilience. Example: "I remember being away from home for the first time. Let's hang out and talk about how you're doing."

8. Celebrate others' success. When we care more about others than ourselves, everyone sees and feels success. Example: When I won the starting position over a senior…all he did was support me, push me to get better. Still incredible to me. Felt like he was my biggest fan.

9. Seek feedback. Ask for it directly—it's hard to improve without feedback. Example: "How can I get better? What gaps do you see that I need to address?"

10. Take ownership. Anticipate needs, identify potential gaps, and take initiative to address them without waiting for direction. Example: "We're all accountable to these standards, and these are the expectations every day—not just a few days a week."

Moving Forward Together

Developing actionable leadership behaviors within any team, regardless of titles or promotions, comes down to fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and open communication. When we embrace proactive engagement, support one another, and recognize individual strengths, we create an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their ideas and insights.

True leadership is about influence and impact, not just a title. Let's make our actions speak louder and work together to cultivate team dynamics that thrive on shared purpose and mutual support.

For more insights on leadership and influence, check out my previous blog: "LEADERS with Influence...why it's IMPORTANT and how to get it."

#stayinthefight #committed #playerled