You are ready to approve a proposal when a colleague asks for more information. They want to understand the assumptions behind the timeline and whether the team has the capacity to deliver. You feel your patience thinning. Why do they always make things complicated? Before they have finished, you are explaining why the team needs to move forward. Their concern remains unresolved, but your impression of them is reinforced. Most leaders can think of someone whose approach they

You deliver consistently. You solve difficult problems. You are trusted when an important outcome is at risk. Yet when strategic assignments, promotions or influential opportunities arise, your name is not always part of the conversation. This is the experience of many capable leaders. Their competence is recognised, but it is recognised within the boundaries of their current role. They are trusted to deliver more work without necessarily being considered for broader responsi