We often imagine leadership as something that comes with the corner office, with the word chief in a job title, or with a seat at the top of the organizational chart. Among the many misconceptions surrounding leadership, perhaps the most persistent one only characterizes people in senior roles as leaders.
This myth damages not only individuals who underestimate their own capacity to lead but also hurts organizations that fail to recognize the potential distributed across every level of their workforce. Leadership, at its core, has little to do with titles and everything to do with action, influence, and the ability to inspire progress in others and oneself.
Why the Myth Persists
Titles such as director or chief carry authority, and we often mistake authority for leadership. In traditional hierarchies, those at the bottom view those at the top as the decision-makers, the vision-setters, the people steering the course. But equating leadership exclusively with positional power creates several problems.
First, this emphasis on position discourages initiative. Junior staff, early-career researchers, or entry-level employees may hesitate to share their ideas because they believe that they must wait to earn respect through promotion. Second, this emphasis undervalues hidden leaders—the individuals who set team culture, informally mentor their peers, or quietly drive innovation behind the scenes. Third, stressing the importance of position narrows the leadership pipeline. If organizations only see leadership when it comes with a title, they overlook a wide pool of emerging talent.
This narrow definition of leadership particularly harms people in STEM fields. Women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups already face barriers to advancement; tying leadership to seniority alone delays or denies recognition of their contributions. By holding onto this myth, organizations risk missing the influence and innovation that diverse leaders can bring long before they hold official titles.
Leadership as Action and Influence
The truth empowers us by helping us measure true leaders by their actions, not by their titles. Broadcasting executive Donald H. McGannon expressed this clearly when he said, “Leadership is action, not position.”
Authority bestowed through a title does not guarantee good leadership. Actual leadership emerges from the decisions we make, the values we uphold, and the impact we create. John C. Maxwell, pastor, author, and one of the most cited voices on leadership, takes this idea further when he says that “leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”
Maxwell reframes leadership as an act of influence, as something inherently relational. Influence can take many forms: a graduate student who guides classmates through a difficult experiment, a junior engineer who raises ethical questions about a design, or a scientist who fosters collaboration across departments. Each of these examples shows leadership in practice without the trappings of hierarchy.
Leadership can even begin on a personal level. Influencing oneself— navigating challenges, persisting through setbacks, and choosing growth over stagnation—sets a foundation for influencing others. A PhD student who perseveres through a complex research obstacle models resilience and problem-solving. Her peers have the chance to observe her persistence and may feel encouraged to tackle their own challenges more boldly. In this way, personal growth translates into collective leadership.
Shared Responsibility
We should never view leadership as a solitary pursuit. Ella Baker, the influential civil rights activist, challenged the notion that leadership must be concentrated at the top by insisting: “Strong people don’t need strong leaders.”
Her philosophy emphasized collective strength and shared responsibility. Applied to modern workplaces and scientific environments, this perspective suggests that true progress comes when individuals take responsibility for their challenges rather than waiting for authority figures to solve them. A research assistant exercises leadership when they seek out resources to troubleshoot difficulties in an experiment. A junior faculty member who organizes collaborative seminars to broaden perspectives also demonstrates leadership.
In STEM, where breakthroughs often emerge from teamwork rather than from solitary genius, Baker’s insight seems especially relevant. Innovation thrives when a team distributes leadership among its members, when everyone feels empowered to step forward, guide, and contribute. By recognizing management abilities at multiple levels, organizations cultivate resilience, accountability, and creativity.
Of course, debunking the myth that power comes from a title does not mean that positions lack relevance. Formal leadership roles continue to serve essential purposes in organizations by providing clarity, structure, and accountability. Without designated leaders, research projects and organizations can fragment and mismanage their resources. Titles ensure that someone takes ultimate responsibility for setting direction, allocating resources, and making f inal calls. In this sense, titles anchor responsibility, offering stability and coordination that allow teams to function effectively.
At the same time, titles alone cannot drive innovation or cultural growth. Leadership thrives in its distribution—when people at all levels feel empowered to mentor, propose solutions, and contribute ideas. Influence, rather than titled authority, injects dynamism into organizations. A graduate student sharing insights with peers, a junior engineer raising ethical concerns, or a research associate initiating collaboration all demonstrate leadership that exists independently of formal position. When this kind of influence gets encouragement alongside formal authority, organizations become less rigid and more responsive to challenges.
The healthiest cultures, therefore, embrace a dual model where formal authority and distributed leadership operate in harmony. Senior leaders provide the guardrails, ensuring accountability and resource stewardship, while creating space for others to offer guidance within those boundaries. For early-career professionals, this balance means recognizing opportunities to lead while also respecting personal limitations. For senior leaders, this equilibrium requires humility, openness, and a willingness to invite contributions, amplify others’ voices, and ensure that titles serve as enablers rather than as barriers. With this balance of stability and encouragement, organizations not only maintain order but also unlock the collective potential of their people.
Moving Beyond the Myth
Dismantling the myths around leadership and titles requires both cultural and individual shifts.
For organizations, this exercise means creating systems that recognize and reward leadership behaviors, not just job titles. Organizations should celebrate mentorship, peer support, ethical decision-making, and knowledge sharing as leadership in action. For individuals, this shift in thinking means rejecting the belief that “I am not a leader yet.” Everyone can practice management skills by taking small, everyday actions: offering guidance, setting an example, or voicing ideas that move a team forward.
The benefits of embracing this broader view have real significance:
- Early recognition of leadership potential encourages diverse voices and strengthens pipelines.
- Distributed leadership fosters collaboration and makes teams more adaptable in the face of change.
- Cultures of accountability flourish when leadership becomes everyone’s responsibility, not just the concern of senior managers.
Ultimately, titles may grant authority, but they do not guarantee leadership. True management skills result from practicing positive influence, initiative, and integrity. Anyone willing to act with purpose and to inspire others can access leadership qualities.
The next time you hesitate to take ownership or to share an idea because you supposedly do not yet have authority, remember this: Leadership does not wait for a promotion. It begins the moment you choose to make a difference.
Anushi Deraniyagala is a PhD candidate in cellular biology at the University of Georgia. She studies intracellular patterning in Tetrahymena thermophila by addressing one of biology’s most fundamental questions: how precise spatial patterns emerge inside cells— patterns critical to key cellular functions. Outside the lab, she enjoys writing, cooking, and exploring with her energetic toddler and lovely husband.
This article was originally published in AWIS Magazine. Join AWIS to access the full issue of AWIS Magazine and more member benefits.