Leverage what others ignore.
What others see as busy work, you know it’s a way to influence.
Leadership is about being the person who follows through. You can lead right now by providing the structure your team needs to win. What others may see as busy work, you know it’s a way to influence the group and keep everyone moving toward the same goal.
Taking initiative demonstrates that you can manage more than just yourself. As you move up, your success depends on your ability to keep projects organized and help others stay on track.
You can also start leading by taking a step into gaps where no one has claimed responsibility. If you see a part of a project that’s being ignored, volunteer to handle it. It shows that you care about the team’s success more than just your own tasks. Leaders make sure the job gets done, even if they’re not the ones getting all the credit at the start.
Put these approaches into practice.
Let’s look at practical ways to provide structure where there is none and prioritize team success over individual task lists.
"Our brainstorming sessions used to end in total confusion. I started sending out a '3-item action list' five minutes after we finished. At first, I felt like a glorified secretary, but within a month, the Project Manager started coming to me first to see if we were on schedule. I had become the team’s unofficial compass."
DON’T walk out of a meeting assuming everyone has the same mental map of the deadlines and deliverables.
DO take the lead by sending a "next steps" summary after every meeting, outlining who is doing what and when it’s due.
"No one wanted to manage the client feedback folder because it was messy and time-consuming. I volunteered to own it. Because I was the only one who truly knew what the client was saying, I was invited into the executive strategy meetings to 'brief the room.' Owning the ignored task gave me the most visibility in the company."
DON’T stay silent when you notice a part of a project is being ignored just because it isn’t explicitly in your job description.
DO step into the gaps and volunteer for unclaimed responsibilities by saying, “I’ll take the lead on tracking these numbers for the group.”
"I used to complain about having to update the team’s Trello board. Then I realized that whoever controls the board controls the project’s pace. I stopped seeing it as a chore and started seeing it as my dashboard for influencing how we spent our time. My manager noticed the team’s output increased by 20% once I took over the busy work."
DON’T view administrative coordination or project tracking as "busy work" that’s beneath your skill level or "not your job."
DO recognize coordination as a high-level tool of influence that provides the structure the team needs to win.
"I spent an entire weekend fixing a formatting error in a team report that wasn't my fault. No one announced it in the meeting, but my manager pulled me aside later and said, ‘I know you saved us there.’ That quiet trust led to me being assigned as the lead on the next high-revenue account."
DON’T refuse to help or take on extra work simply because you won't get immediate public credit or a "shout-out" for it.
DO focus on making sure the job gets done, knowing that leaders value the people who prioritize the mission over the applause.
"I noticed my peers were all struggling with the same deadline. Instead of just finishing my part, I created a shared countdown calendar for us. It wasn't my job to manage them, but by helping them stay on track, I showed the VP that I was already thinking like a manager. I was promoted to Lead within six months."
DON’T wait for someone to tell you how to organize your team or keep others on track; don't assume leadership is only for those with "Manager" in their title.
DO demonstrate that you can manage more than just yourself by proactively helping the group stay organized and focused.
At the end of your next meeting, can you be the person who asks, “Just to be clear, what are the three main action items we need to finish by Friday?”
Integrate these professional strategies into your workflow—whether you’re refining your own work or mentoring your team or clients.