You’re doing the work of an executive.
Carrying the weight.
Solving the problems.
Adding value.
Holding the team together when no one else will.
Literally doing your boss's leader's work.
But the title isn’t yours.
Not yet.
You tell yourself to be patient.
That good things take time.
That recognition will come.
But waiting quietly doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting.
Because deep down, you know you’re already leading.
Just without the label.
Just without the deserved salary.
You watch others get promoted faster, and you wonder if it’s you,
or if politics simply speaks louder than performance.
or if your boss is just threatened to be outshined by you.
Still, you stay.
Not because you’re stuck,
but because you believe that how you lead today
determines who you’ll be when the title finally arrives.
The waiting room is uncomfortable.
But it’s also sacred.
It’s where leaders are refined, not just assigned.
It’s where patience meets preparation.
And it’s where you learn that leadership is not a position, it’s a posture.
So keep showing up.
Keep doing the work no one claps for.
Because when the door finally opens, you won’t just walk in ready.
You’ll walk in proven.