This Marcus Buckingham quote resonates deeply because it's a truth many of us have lived, talented people don't necessarily leave jobs they dislike, they leave environments where leadership is toxic, absent or misaligned with their values.

One of the most common pitfalls organisations make is promoting people into leadership roles for the wrong reasons:

• Because they’ve been there the longest

• Because it’s “their turn”

• Because they were a strong individual contributor (especially in sales)

• Or simply because there’s no one else available

But tenure doesn’t automatically equal leadership capability.

Experience is valuable, but it isn’t the same as leadership readiness.

What Poor Leadership Looks Like in Practice

In many businesses, this shows up as senior staff opting out of responsibility, believing they’ve earned the right to sit back while others do the hard work.

Common attitudes include statements like “I did my time. Now it’s your turn”.

This mentality does more than damage morale, it destroys team culture.

It sends the message that hierarchy matters more than contribution and seniority comes with privilege not responsibility.

I’ve witnessed it firsthand when bringing new recruits and sales trainees into the business, only to find that tenured sales associates weren’t willing to lead,

coach or support. That’s not leadership. That’s legacy entitlement.

What Good Leadership Requires

True leadership is not about title, tenure or time served, it’s about...

Stepping up, not stepping back

Guiding others, not guarding status

Creating space for growth, not hoarding knowledge

In today’s businesses, especially those growing and evolving, leadership must be earned through behaviour, not granted through tenure.

Shifting the Culture

To retain high-performers and build sustainable teams, we must redefine what we reward...

Promote based on leadership capability, not longevity

Recognise those who lift others up, not just individual results

Embed mentoring and peer support as expectations, not extras

Remember

Leadership is not a reward for tenure, it’s a commitment to serve others. When organisations get that wrong, they lose their best people. When they get it right, they build cultures where people want to stay, grow and lead in turn.

At EmpowerEdge Collective Pty Ltd, we help leaders shift from legacy entitlement to intentional leadership - building clarity, capability and cultures that thrive.

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