They say leaders are born, not made. In this day and age, however, leaders have to earn the right to be leaders. There's much to be proven, much skill to be shown in order to get to the top. Still, not all who do make it to the top make effective leaders. In a dog eat dog world, most of the grunts somehow make it to the top, while the true leaders, the ones who truly deserve leadership, are left behind.

Why kiss it when it stinks?

By principle, it's supposed to be easy enough to make it to the top in the corporate world. You start at the bottom, consistently show an exemplary performance, maybe do something spectacular or two, and eventually, you'll find yourself behind a massive oak desk in a gargantuan office with people drooling over the contents of your business card wallet. Indeed, if you are dedicated and if you work hard, there's no doubt that you'll make it.

However, it hardly ever happens that way. Office politics make it almost impossible. You'll find that the people getting promoted and are rewarded with the fancy business card wallets are the ones who brown nose and basically, pardon the expression, kiss ass. You'll also find that corporations often bring in people from the outside for higher management positions, people who are often well connected to the company's higher ups.

It is unfair, indeed, but corporations get away with it anyway. And because of that, you, the workaholic who knows how the company is run like the back of your own hand, are stuck for years with mundane job descriptions. In fact, the best you can probably hope for is a lower management position and a business card wallet.

Is there hope for the little people?

As bleak and hopeless as the office political climate may seem, there's always hope for you to get that leadership job that you deserve. You can't, however, achieve anything by keeping your head down and staying mum about it. For you to earn the right to sit at that board room and carry around a fancy business card wallet filled with elaborate business cards, you have to stand up and get noticed.

You know your job and the processes best, but you also know that trends are always changing. Take the initiative. Point out the flaws of the processes that are already in place and seek to improvise these processes. When production time and costs and other statistics are greatly improved, you are bound to get noticed. Step up and take control of your team. Take the extra step and help out weaker members of your team. By doing so, you are proving your worth as a leader. That's something that the powers that be can't ignore in a hurry.

Indeed, by showing initiative and promise, you are proving that you are worthy of becoming a big boss with a fancy business card wallet. Your dedication will be rewarded, and you will become the leader that you were always destined to be.