Not My Job

Let's take a moment to step back and look at the typical day many of us face in our professional lives. Imagine we're walking through this together, sharing stories from the frontline of the workplace.

Ever found yourself pausing mid-task, a question bubbling up: "What am I actually doing here?" Think about those days packed with meetings that could easily be emails and your inbox overflowing with messages that demand your attention. Then you find yourself questioning the point of it all, like spending hours on a PowerPoint that might not even get looked at, or wondering why your calendar is a jigsaw puzzle of overlapping commitments. Do I have to?

Now, let's get real for a moment.

The simple answer? No.

No to just going through the motions.

Being a leader is about something other than having a fancy title. It's easy to fall into a routine, accepting "this is just how things are done." But here's a thought: it doesn't have to be that way. Believe it or not, you have the power to spark change in your workplace to make things better for your team. I think offering solutions doesn't have to be limited to the tasks at hand.

Take a page from my book, for instance. Who was I to step up and suggest a new approach? Facing a hectic hiring phase, I noticed several inefficiencies. So, I proposed to my boss a more strategic and thoughtful way to handle our interview process, one that also considered diversity, equity, and inclusion to minimize bias. I developed a new form and workflow in collaboration with HR, making sure it fit within our existing policies. This initiative wasn't just about addressing an immediate need; it was about setting a new standard for how we operate.

The point of sharing this story isn't to boast but to illustrate that change often starts with an individual who dares to think differently. You don't need an official mandate to make a difference. Opportunities to improve things are all around us, sometimes in places we least expect. It's about having the courage to use your voice and your skills to go beyond what's asked of you. That's what real leadership looks like.

Perfection might be out of reach, but striving to make things better is what really matters. For me, it wasn't just about solving a problem; it was about bringing new energy to my work and showing that one person's initiative can make a difference.

Leadership is more than just a position; it's about being human, recognizing the need for change, and having the heart to pursue it.