Lead Like the Best Version of You

Lead Like the Best Version of You

When we envision a great leader, we often picture someone like Tony Stark. Big energy. Big voice. Big presence. He walks into a room, and it shifts. People notice. He knows how to command attention, pitch the vision, and close the deal without breaking a sweat.

That kind of leader is easy to spot and hard to forget.  It’s also the version of leadership we see most often. 

So, when your style is quieter, more reflective, and more behind-the-scenes, you start to wonder: 

Is this what leadership is supposed to look like? Am I doing it wrong?

You get promoted and suddenly feel like you’re supposed to be someone else. 

Louder. Bolder. More certain. More… something.

But here’s the thing: There’s no such thing as a natural manager.

We confuse confidence with capability. Charisma with leadership. But they’re not the same.

Sure, some people can walk into a room and light it up. They can inspire with a sentence and have a knack for knowing exactly what to say. That’s a valuable skill. But managing isn’t about delivering a perfect monologue. It’s about showing up, day after day, and doing the work that often goes unseen.

Being a manager means remembering the hard conversation you said you’d have—and following through. 

It means noticing when someone’s off and caring enough to ask why. 

It means holding the line on quality while making sure no one feels disposable.

It’s less about big moments. More about steady ones.

The best managers I know aren’t always the loudest voice in the room. They don’t need the spotlight. But people trust them. They listen deeply. They ask questions that make you think.  They remember what matters to you, even when it’s not written down.

They create space, not pressure. 

They make things clearer, not just faster. 

And most of all, they don’t try to lead like someone else.

They lead like themselves.

If you’ve ever thought, 'Maybe I’m not a good manager, or I don’t think I've what it takes,' this is for you. 

Because great managers aren’t born, they’re built.

Built through trial and error.

Through reps. Through feedback. Through quiet progress.

You can learn to give feedback that helps. 

You can learn to support someone whose working style challenges yours. 

You can learn to run a team that works, not just one that performs.

But to do that, you’ve got to stop measuring yourself against someone else’s volume or confidence. 

You’ve got to start noticing what you bring to the table.

What Kind of Manager Are You Becoming? 

You don’t need to have all the answers. 

But you do need to start asking yourself better questions. The kind that builds on the skills you already have.

Here are a few to sit with. You don't need to rush through them. The work of becoming a better manager starts here:

• When do I feel most confident and clear as a leader? (What am I doing? Who am I with? What kind of environment brings that out in me?)

• What kind of support would have changed everything for me when I was starting? (How can I be that kind of support now, for someone else?)

• What’s one leadership habit I’ve inherited that no longer fits me? (Why am I still holding onto it?)

• How does my team experience me on a stressful day? (And is that the version of me I want to show up as?)

• What would it look like to lead in a way that feels fully mine, not borrowed or forced? (How would that feel on a regular Tuesday?)

You don’t have to answer them all at once, but don’t ignore them either. Because the best managers aren’t the ones who know everything; they’re the ones brave enough to keep asking. Continue to remind yourself that the job isn’t to impress, but to serve, to stretch, and to build something that lasts.

And the best leaders I know? 

They don’t fit the mold. They break it, make room for others to lead. 

So do the work. Get better. Lead like you mean it.