Narrator: Imagine being an intern in the governor's office. You're at the bottom of the ladder, but you get to witness power up close. One day, you overhear a contentious meeting about the future of education. Voices get louder and louder until, finally, the governor slams his fist on the table and screams, "I am the governor of the State of Georgia! Listen to me!" In that moment, you realize something is deeply broken. When a leader has to resort to pulling out the "gun of authority," their real influence has already vanished. This is the central puzzle explored in Clay Scroggins's book, How to Lead When You're Not in Charge. It reveals that true leadership has very little to do with the title on your business card and everything to do with the influence you cultivate, starting right where you are.

Narrator: Scroggins begins by dismantling the common misconception that leadership and authority are the same thing. He argues that waiting for a promotion or a position of power to start leading is a trap. People who say, "When I'm in charge, things will be different," will likely never be in charge. True leaders find a way to lead the charge long before they are officially given the authority to do so.

He illustrates this with a simple, powerful analogy: the grocery cart car. When his kids were little, they would get excited to "drive" the shopping cart that had a fake steering wheel attached. They would turn the wheel with glee, believing they were in control. But the moment they tried to steer toward the candy aisle and the cart didn't respond, their excitement turned to frustration. They realized the steering wheel was just a toy; it gave them the feeling of control but no actual ability to direct the outcome. Scroggins explains that positional authority is often like that fake steering wheel. It provides the trappings of leadership, but it doesn't guarantee that anyone will actually follow. The real engine of leadership, its currency, is influence. Influence is built on trust, relationships, and proven character, not a nameplate on a door.

Narrator: According to Scroggins, nearly every distortion in leadership—from being power-hungry to being timid and passive—can be traced back to a crisis of identity. Leading well, especially without formal authority, depends more on who you are than what you do. If a leader's sense of self is insecure, they will constantly seek validation from their title, their performance, or the approval of others.

The book points to the story of the famous con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., depicted in the film Catch Me If You Can. Frank was a master of the "fake ID," impersonating a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer. But his entire life was a performance driven by a desperate need to impress his father and reclaim a lost sense of family honor. He was brilliant at doing the parts, but he had no stable sense of being. This illustrates a common trap for aspiring leaders: adopting a persona they believe others want to see, rather than grounding their leadership in an authentic and secure identity. Scroggins argues that a healthy identity is built on five pillars: understanding your Past, the People who shape you, your Personality, your Purpose, and your Priorities. Without this foundation, a leader is building on sand.

Narrator: Ambition often gets a bad rap, viewed as a selfish desire for power. Scroggins reframes this by tracing ambition back to a divine mandate. He introduces two key terms: 'kabash' and 'kibosh.' 'Kabash' is a Hebrew word from Genesis meaning "to subdue" or "to bring under cultivation." It's the innate, God-given drive to organize, improve, and bring order to chaos for the sake of growth and flourishing. This, he argues, is the purest form of ambition.

He contrasts this with the modern slang term 'kibosh,' which means to put an end to something or to squash it. A 'kibosh' leader is one who uses their position to shut down ideas and control others. A 'kabash' leader, however, works to cultivate potential in their environment and in their people. Scroggins uses a personal gardening metaphor to explain this. To get a single pepper to grow, he has to 'kabash' the elements—managing the water, soil, and sunlight, and even planting marigolds to keep the deer away. He isn't destroying the elements; he's organizing them so the pepper plant can flourish. A true leader does the same, subduing chaos and creating an environment where their team and their organization can thrive.

Narrator: The book makes it clear that you cannot lead anyone else further than you have led yourself. The most common excuse for inaction is blaming a bad boss or a flawed system. But Scroggins challenges this by sharing a lesson from his three-year-old son, Jake. One day, Jake came home from preschool and proudly announced, "Daddy, I'm in charge of me." His teacher had taught the class that while she could guide them, she couldn't force them to pick up their toys or be kind to a friend. Ultimately, they were in charge of their own choices.

This simple, profound truth is the cornerstone of self-leadership. Your boss isn't in charge of your attitude, your work ethic, or your personal growth—you are. Scroggins insists that before you can be trusted with leading others, you must demonstrate faithfulness in leading yourself. This means modeling excellent followership, monitoring your own heart and behavior, and creating a plan for your own development. Nothing proves a person's ability to lead others more than what they do, day in and day out, to lead themselves.

Narrator: A positive attitude is a powerful tool for influence, but Scroggins warns that positivity without substance can be nauseating, like a "rainbow-puking unicorn." To be truly effective, positivity must be paired with sharp critical thinking. A leader needs to adopt what the book calls a "panoptic view"—the ability to see the bigger picture and understand how their role connects to the organization's overall mission. This broad perspective, fueled by hope, generates energy and humility.

However, this optimism must be grounded. This requires a shift from being a passive employee to thinking like an owner. The book shares advice author Louie Giglio gave Scroggins when he was asked to host a Passion Conference event. Giglio told him to "own it"—to speak about every aspect of the event as if it were his own. This owner's mindset forces a leader to think critically about how to make things better, not just to criticize what's wrong. It's the difference between grading others' work and lending them a hand to improve it.

Narrator: When you're not in charge, the temptation to become passive is immense. If your ideas are shot down, it's easy to sit back and wait for instructions. Scroggins uses a memorable story to combat this mindset. While helping move a heavy pool table in college, the homeowner's elderly grandfather just stood by and yelled, "Don't let it beat cha!" That phrase became a mantra for Scroggins, a reminder to reject passivity and take initiative.

Taking initiative inevitably means you'll have to challenge the status quo, which often requires challenging your boss. This is risky, but the book provides a masterclass on how to do it well through the story of the Chick-fil-A milkshake. A franchise operator named Shane Todd saw a huge demand for milkshakes, but corporate was hesitant, fearing it would slow down their famously fast service. Instead of giving up, Todd secretly developed a system to make high-quality milkshakes without compromising speed. When a senior executive visited, Todd didn't just present his idea; he challenged the executive to a race. Todd proved he could make a milkshake faster than the executive could pour two sodas. He had built a relational bridge, understood his boss's primary concern (speed), and framed his challenge as a solution. The milkshake was approved and became one of Chick-fil-A's most successful products. This is the art of challenging up: it's not about being right; it's about being effective.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from How to Lead When You're Not in Charge is captured in the simple phrase: "As now, so then." The way you lead today—the way you influence, serve, and take initiative without any formal authority—is the exact same way you will lead when you eventually get the title. A promotion doesn't magically bestow new character or skills; it only amplifies what is already there.

This idea is both liberating and deeply challenging. It's liberating because it means your leadership journey isn't on hold, waiting for someone else's permission. It starts right now. But it's challenging because it removes all excuses. You can no longer blame your boss, your company, or your circumstances for your lack of impact. The question the book leaves you with is not when you will start leading, but what you will do with the leadership opportunity you have in front of you today.