Leadership doesn’t begin when you step up on the first rung of the management ladder. One direct report doesn’t make you a leader; nor does 10. Yet, the moment you have direct reports, you are expected to lead. When you fail to demonstrate traits critical to successful leadership, the expectations of your colleagues and assistants are dashed.

The previous paragraph embodies a paradigm—we’re conditioned to think about leadership in terms of leading others. Every dictionary bears this out—so does our own experience. We’ve seen the power of teamwork. We know the value of inspired employees, and we recognize the importance of uniting individuals behind a common, worthy cause. But leadership isn’t always directing others.

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