“Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader. They set out to make a difference. It’s not about the role, it’s about the goal.” — Unknown

Many of you have aspirations to move up the corporate ladder and take on senior management roles. That was a goal of mine as well, but on my way up, I took notice of those in that role and was able to distinguish true leaders from those who were just managing.

It allowed me to determine the type of leader I wanted to become. The greatest lesson of all was recognizing that great leaders learn how to serve first and add value regardless of their title. Ultimately, they were concerned with becoming what John Maxwell calls a “pinnacle” leader, not a “position” leader. These qualities were demonstrated in the popular Marvel movie Black Panther.

We first saw the transition of power from King T’Chaka (the father) to his son, Prince T’Challa (Black Panther). The kingship was eventually challenged by Killmonger, because of a secret action King T’Chaka took that cost Black Panther the throne — so we thought.

Connecting this back to an overarching leadership lesson, we can walk away knowing that all actions have a consequence. Whatever we do in the dark will eventually find its way to light. So, as a leader, it’s good to own our decisions, but we must also understand the laws of physics — every action yields a reaction. Unfortunately, that reaction or consequence can cost us royally.

Tip 1: Leading is not about you, but who follows you.

True leaders are not intimidated by the talents of their team. What they do instead is maximize those gifts and recognize their contributions. People development becomes a priority alongside job completion. Part of a leader’s legacy is the quality of the people they lead and seeds they sow. Leaders must prepare their team to move forward, upward and beyond. This also includes the development of their replacement. A leader without a succession plan is just a manager occupying space.