When Dr Tererai Trent, once a young Zimbabwean girl forbidden to dream, buried her hopes in a can beneath a rock, she was making a leadership move before she had permission. Years later, against all odds, she would go on to earn her doctorate and become a global voice for education. Oprah Winfrey called her “one of the most inspiring women in the world.” Dr Trent’s story wasn’t about disobedience; it was about vision before validation.
In organisations across the globe, leaders are trapped in a different kind of struggle. They are waiting not for opportunity but for permission. Permission to innovate. To speak up. To lead from where they are. And in that waiting, too many leaders slowly disappear, their ideas fading in the shadows of unspoken approval.
“Waiting for permission is costly not only for individual careers but for organisational momentum. The new era of leadership doesn’t begin with a tap on the shoulder. It begins with courage from the inside out.”
Modern organisations are filled with capable professionals who hesitate. They have ideas that stay scribbled in notebooks. Strategies that never leave the draft folder. Initiatives that die in endless approval loops. Why? Because somewhere along the way, we were conditioned to believe that leadership is granted, not demonstrated. That impact comes after endorsement. Those titles unlock boldness.
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Yet research proves otherwise. According to a 2024 McKinsey study, companies that foster proactive leadership at all levels of what they called “permissionless initiative” saw a 23 percent increase in innovation and a 17 percent boost in employee retention.
Waiting for permission is costly not only for individual careers but for organisational momentum. The new era of leadership doesn’t begin with a tap on the shoulder. It begins with courage from the inside out.
If “The Paradox of Visibility” taught us that great leaders don’t wait to be seen, this week’s message completes the equation: great leaders don’t wait to be sanctioned. Let’s be clear, this isn’t about recklessness or rebellion. It is about responsible initiative. About showing the organisation what’s possible before the process catches up.
Initiate before you are invited. Start leading where you are. Launch that pilot idea. Champion that colleague. Run that after-action review. If it adds value, it doesn’t need a permission slip; it needs your integrity, clarity, and courage.
Consider a middle manager I once coached. She was frustrated that her suggestions to improve onboarding were always “under consideration.” Finally, she created a simple onboarding checklist on her own time and shared it informally with new hires. Within three months, turnover during the first 90 days dropped by 20 percent. What began as a small, unauthorised experiment turned into an enterprise-wide practice.
Anchor in purpose, not approval. When your focus is impact, not applause, you are freed from performance anxiety. Ask yourself: What problem am I solving? What ripple effect does this idea have? When purpose becomes your compass, approval becomes a bonus, not a prerequisite.
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Anticipate resistance, but don’t internalise it. Every bold step will attract friction. That’s normal. What matters is whether that resistance defines your leadership voice or refines your strategy. Thick skin, soft heart. Keep moving.
Build a track record of trust. Proactivity only works when it is paired with credibility. Keep showing up. Finish what you start. Own your mistakes. Trust builds a runway. Runway gives your initiative flight.
What initiative have you been postponing because you’re waiting to be asked?
Where are you telling yourself that you need more authority before you can contribute meaningfully?
What would change if you acted from clarity, not consensus?
How can you build trust equity, so your voice earns weight before it is officially invited?
Who in your team is modelling “pre-permission leadership,” and how can you recognise them?
Start this week with a “Pre-Permission Project.” Identify one area where you see an opportunity to lead, without needing a green light. Design the first step. Gather input. Take thoughtful action.
Then, document what you learned. What resistance showed up? What momentum did you create? Share your progress with your team, not to seek validation but to model ownership. As a leader, you are not simply reacting to expectations; you are redefining what’s possible.
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If you feel uncertain, remember that confidence rarely arrives before action; it grows because of it. The more you practice moving without waiting, the stronger your leadership muscle becomes.
Leadership isn’t about waiting to be picked. It’s about picking yourself when the mission demands it. The most powerful transformations in history didn’t begin with a meeting invite; they began with conviction, clarity, and the quiet decision to lead anyway.
So, here is your challenge: Stop waiting for permission. Start moving with intention. The world doesn’t need more compliant professionals; it needs bold, values-driven leaders willing to go first.
Your future team is watching. They don’t need perfection. They need someone to model movement. Be that someone. The ripple effect of your courage could be the permission thousands of others have been waiting for.
About the author:
Dr Toye Sobande is a strategic leadership expert, executive coach, lawyer, public speaker, and award-winning author. He is the CEO of Stephens Leadership Consultancy LLC, a strategy and management consulting firm offering creative insight and solutions to businesses and leaders. Email: contactme@toyesobande.com
