When You Are in a Leadership Position, You Have a Responsibility to Be Better Tomorrow Than You Are Today
- Nicki Crossland
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
Leadership isn’t static. And when you’re in a leadership position, it comes with responsibilities that people don’t often talk about openly. Yes, you need to deliver results. And yes, you are ideally an inspiring, caring leader.
But that’s not what I’m talking about here. For the sake of argument, let’s assume that being an inspiring and caring leader, who consistently delivers results, are the minimum criteria to get you through the door.
What keeps you there - and what earns you the right to grow further - is humility. The humility to recognise that you’re never done. That you need to keep honing your skills, shaping your behaviours, and developing your impact.
I’ve personally never met the finished article.
Every leader (and aspiring leader) I’ve ever worked with has something they need to strengthen or develop.
It’s about building the collective capability - knowledge, skills, and behaviours - to be truly effective in a role and deliver sustainable performance.
Because here’s the truth: when you’re leading others, how you show up tomorrow matters just as much as what you achieved yesterday. People are watching you, learning from you, and being shaped by the example you set.
That’s why leadership isn’t about reaching a position and staying the same. What got you here won’t get you there.
In our work with senior leaders and teams, I’ve seen such an inspiring growth, impact, and observable difference between those who embrace this “get better” mindset and those who don’t. The ones who keep learning, reflecting, and adjusting not only perform better - they create the conditions for their people to grow too.
Those who resist growth erode trust, culture, and ultimately performance.
One of the best models I’ve come across to help structure this thinking is The Leadership Code – Five Rules to Lead By by Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood, and Kate Sweetman. In simple terms, it says leaders need to:
Deliver on today’s commitments – hit this year’s objectives and plans.
Engage today’s talent – support, develop, and grow your current leaders and teams.
Build the next generation – focus on succession, especially in critical roles.
Shape the future – create strategies that ensure business continuity and long-term success.
Invest in yourself – because your growth sets the pace for everyone else.
I like this model because it’s straightforward, practical, and it reminds us that leadership is a balance: between today and tomorrow, between your people and yourself.
Reflection Prompt
So ask yourself: What will make me a better leader tomorrow than I am today?