Your Title Doesn't Make You a Leader: Reframing Leadership for Organizational Success, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: The article argues that true leadership goes beyond just position or title, and instead derives from personal qualities and behaviors that inspire and empower others. It explores key leadership qualities like honesty, vision, empathy, and people development, and discusses strategies organizations can use to cultivate these qualities throughout the workforce, not just in top executives. By reframing leadership as a developable resource distributed across the organization, rather than concentrated at the top, the article showcases how companies like The Container Store, Google, and Toyota have unleashed innovation, ownership, and resilience even during disruption. The conclusion emphasizes that empowering leadership potential at all levels, through skills development, transparent communication, and collaborative problem-solving, allows organizations to build renewable leadership resources that drive long-term competitive advantage.