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Great Leaders Are Students of Leadership

August 13, 2025

By Scott Michajluk | Fractional COO | Founder, GO Consulting


One of the biggest misconceptions about leadership is that it comes from position, a title on a business card, a spot on the org chart, or the size of the office you sit in.


The reality? Some of the best leaders I’ve ever seen didn’t have formal authority. They didn’t control budgets, sign contracts, or run departments. 


What they did have was accountability, influence, trust, empathy, and the ability to move people toward something better.


Leadership Is Learned - Not Assigned


Great leaders are rarely “born” leaders. They are students of leadership constantly observing, refining, and adapting.


They read, they listen, they ask questions. They watch how others lead, not just in moments of celebration, but in moments of pressure and conflict.


And they understand this: leadership is about service and responsibility, not about perks or power.

You Don’t Need Rank to Lead


Leadership is about actions, not titles.


  • A project coordinator who steps in to solve a client problem without being told is leading.

  • A team member who mentors a new hire is leading.

  • A junior employee who voices a hard truth in a meeting, respectfully but clearly, is leading.


If you wait for a title before you start leading, you’ll likely miss your chance to build the skills that make you effective once you get there.


What Great Leaders Keep Doing


Whether they’re CEOs or entry-level contributors, great leaders share three habits:


  1. They stay curious. They don’t assume they’ve learned it all.

  2. They seek feedback. Even when it’s uncomfortable, they want to know how to improve.

  3. They practice self-awareness. They know how their actions affect others and they adjust when needed.


A Call to Leaders at Every Level


If you’re in a position of formal authority, never stop learning. Leadership is a discipline, not a destination.


If you’re not in a formal role yet, start leading anyway. Influence is earned over time, through consistent behavior and a willingness to take responsibility when it matters most.


The leaders we remember (the ones who change organizations and lives) are the ones who never stop being students of the craft.

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