𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲

Last week I wrote about leaders who constrain their people—who chain talented individuals to workflows instead of developing them into leaders.

That post has been living rent-free in my conversations since. Yesterday, in a session with women leaders, someone flipped the entire premise:

"I've got the forge ready. The fire is hot. The tools are there. But I can't forge leaders out of people who refuse to enter the fire."

Because we've all seen it—the person who wants the title, the responsibility, the recognition, but won't endure what it takes to be shaped into someone who can actually carry it.

"What about the people who 𝘴𝘢𝘺 they want leadership opportunities but won't actually do anything to earn them?"

Leaders, we’ve all dealt with this. Am I right?

Folks tell you they want to lead. They talk about feeling stagnant. They hint (or outright say) they deserve more responsibility.

But when you ask them what project they want to tackle? Crickets.

When you suggest they identify an initiative? "I'm not sure what's available."

They schedule the 1:1 to talk about "career growth" but show up with zero ideas and a notebook waiting for you to fill it.

When you actually 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 them an opportunity? They either hesitate, defer back to you for constant direction, or worse—blow it entirely because they weren't actually prepared for what leadership requires.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱

Tenure is not entitlement. That's not how this works. You earn opportunities by taking the lead.

Leadership isn't an escape hatch for boredom or burnout.

Leadership is 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 than what you're doing now. It requires initiative you demonstrate 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you have the title. It demands you see problems and propose solutions without being asked.

If you're waiting for your manager to hand-deliver opportunities, you're not ready to lead. You're ready to be managed.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲

You identify problems 𝘢𝘯𝘥 bring solutions. You volunteer for messy projects no one else wants. You ask for feedback and implement it. You understand the business beyond your task list. You demonstrate leadership 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 before asking for a new one.

Growth isn't something done 𝘵𝘰 you. It's something you pursue relentlessly, even when it's uncomfortable. Especially when it's uncomfortable.

𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Leaders: Have you ever given someone an opportunity they claimed they wanted, only to watch them fumble it? What did you do next—double down or move on?

ICs: Be brutally honest. What's the project you 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 have volunteered for but didn't? What stopped you?

Because leaders can stoke up the forge, but you have to be willing to step into the fire.

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