People are promoted to leadership positions for a variety of reasons. Often it’s because they’ve done a great job. If a person does a great job as an accountant, intuition would tell you to promote this person to be a leader among accountants.

This is often a bad decision.

Someone great at their craft does not necessarily make a great leader. Sometimes it’s the opposite.

Leadership is not intuitive.

We assume that it is.
We assume that anyone can do it. Throw them in the deep end. Sink or swim.

You are not a leader because you’re the best at your job.

Leadership is not industry-specific. Someone who leads accountants well could also lead carpenters, painters, priests, or plumbers.
No one is born a leader.
You become a leader.
And once you become a leader, it’s possible to lead anything.
You’ve learned to learn.
You’re adaptable.
You have principles and values in their proper place.

This is why organizations should invest in leadership development.
This is why we need to spend time connecting with and influencing the next generation, rather than throwing stones.
This is why leadership (good, strong, and powerful leadership) is more about empowerment than it is about power.

If you have a leadership position, be secure enough, mature enough, and forward-thinking enough to give away power.

When that happens, you become the most powerful person in the room.