I have spent the majority of my life working for other people.  Naturally, this means that when it came to things such as establishing the culture of the work environment, creating a mission statement, or in the setting of priorities, I did not have much say in how things were done.  Or so I thought.  Over time, I have learned that you can lead when you are not in charge.

In the Marine Corps, it is the Commanding Officer (the CO) who has the final say in all matters.  It is he or she who has complete control over the priorities, environment, discipline, and culture of the organization he or she leads.  Much like the Chief Executive Officer (the CEO) of a corporation, whatever the CO says, goes.

I have had the opportunity to work for some great COs, but I have also labored under some very challenging COs.  It was during these times of working for a CO who was difficult to work for that I learned how to lead when you are not the person in charge.

I learned that first you need to lead yourself.  Leading yourself means that you seek to know yourself and find ways of self-improvement.  It also means that you discipline yourself–seeking ways to grow, such as reading, training yourself physically, and making yourself better at your job–whatever that job happens to be.

Second, I learned that you can lead your peers.  What this doesn’t mean is being the overly bossy, know-it-all, who seeks to make your peers look bad.  What peer leadership means is that you are the guy or gal who meets the needs of your peers, answers their questions, and quietly helps them become better at their job.

Finally, leading when you are not in charge means that you can lead the division or section you work in.  If you are the team lead for a project – lead the team.  If you are the senior manager of the section – lead.  Whatever the size of the team, section, or division, get out in front by creating the kind of culture you would want to work in.  Find ways to serve and meet the needs of those on your team and make their lives better.

By leading yourself, leading your peers, and leading your team, not only will you be challenged and grow, but the culture of your organization and team will improve as well.