30/04/2026
𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Over the years, I have seen this pattern play out more often than we acknowledge.
👉 One person believes they are adding value
👉 The other experiences it as losing space
Same situation.
Very different realities.
𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲,
“I get involved because I care about quality. I want things to be right.”
Fair intent.
But here’s what the team was experiencing:
Every time they stepped forward… he stepped in.
Every idea was improved… but rarely owned by them.
Every opportunity became shared… but not empowering.
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁, 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻:
“I’m doing the work… but I don’t feel seen.”
“When I present, my boss builds on it… and the conversation shifts.”
“When I take initiative, he steps in. I don’t know if I’m being supported… or overshadowed.”
No conflict.
No clear fault.
Just a slow erosion of ownership.
𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲:
• People start speaking less
• Initiative quietly drops
• Good thinking never reaches the table
Not because capability is missing
but because space is.
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁?
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, this often comes from habit, expertise, or the need to stay relevant not intent.
But the signals are worth noticing:
• The urge to “add” to every idea
• Difficulty letting others fully own the room
• Stepping in too quickly
• Refining… but replacing ownership
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:
Create clarity on ownership.
Build your visibility intentionally.
Use curiosity to open space not confrontation.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿:
Pause and reflect are you adding value, or taking space?
Because the real measure of leadership is not how often you step in…
but how often your team steps forward.
Curious to know which side have you experienced more?
— Rakesh Verma