Want to Be Seen as a Future Leader? Start Here.
When I think back to the early days in my career – with a strong desire to prove myself in a work world dominated by men – there’s one thing I wish I had understood …
Being the one who knows all the technical answers isn’t enough.
If you want to be seen as a future leader, you need to be someone others want to work with — not just in your team, but across the organisation.
I was technically strong. I met my project deadlines. I could work independently. But I didn’t fully understand how much demonstrating leadership — even in those early years of my career — is about how you operate in a team and how you show up in cross-team collaborations.
I thought I had to prove myself — by doing everything on my own.
When I first started out, I fell into a trap I see often — especially among women in STEM. We come through tertiary education systems that reward individual performance. Then we step into male-dominated workplaces where there’s this extra pressure to prove we’re capable and deserve to be there. So, we put our heads down, work hard, and try to be across everything.
But here’s the thing: that’s not how teams thrive — and it’s not how your value as a future leader stands out. In real-world STEM environments, the people who get noticed are the ones who show emotional intelligence — who collaborate well and think beyond just their own task list.
So, if you're just starting out, here’s some ideas to reflect on – four mindsets that will not only help you thrive in your current role — they’ll quietly mark you as someone with leadership potential.
1. Know Yourself — It’s Your Foundation
You might think self-awareness is something for yoga retreats or executive coaching. But actually, it’s one of the most practical tools you’ve got — especially when you’re working with people who think and operate differently.
Ask yourself:
What motivates me?
What puts me under pressure?
How do I typically communicate — and how does that land with others?
Most of us lean towards a dominant personality style, and this shapes how we work with others. The trick is knowing your default behaviour patterns and then learning to flex your approach when interacting with others who may have quite different approaches.
For example - if you’re a details person who thrives on being precise, collaborating with someone who’s more into creative visions and the bigger-picture won’t be successful unless you each adapt to the other’s work style and find the power in your diversity. Being able to call it out – “this is how I like to work – how about you?” – before you start can defuse any potential tensions and result in an incredibly productive working relationship.
2. Be Human — People Remember How You Made Them Feel
Leadership is about people. And people remember how you show up in the small moments — especially when working across different teams, where trust isn’t automatic. When you’re working cross-functionally, you're essentially stepping into someone else’s “neighbourhood.” You need to build trust — intentionally.
Some simple ways to do that:
Listen like it matters; not just with your ears, but with your whole presence. Especially when interacting virtually.
Acknowledge contributions. A quick “Thanks, that helped” goes a long way.
Assume good intent; don’t rush to judge.
Model vulnerability. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know” - this builds more trust than pretending.
And perhaps most importantly: remember to be authentic in your relationships with others. Being a leader doesn’t mean stepping into a fake “leader persona”.
If I could go back and give my younger self one piece of advice, it’d be this: There’s no one “right” way to lead others. I didn’t see leadership styles I could relate to early in my career — especially as the only woman in my team — so I held back. I didn’t realise that leading authentically, in a way that felt natural to me, was not only valid — it was powerful.
3. Keep Learning — Stay Curious Beyond Your Role
Your degree got you in the door. But your willingness to learn continuously throughout your career is what will keep you moving forward — especially in cross-functional work, where no one person has all the answers.
I often work at the edges of disciplines and can routinely find myself in meetings where I don’t understand parts of the conversation. Different language, different perspectives. A multi-disciplinary team won’t get far on their project if they aren’t connecting. What turns it around? Curiosity.
Stop trying to convince each other and start asking:
“Can you walk me through why that’s important to your team?”
“What does success look like for you?”
“What’s the risk if we get this part wrong?”
You don’t have to be an expert in every field — but being genuinely interested in what others do makes all the difference.
4. Ask, “How Can I Add Value?” — Then Do It
The leadership habit that will take you furthest? Stop thinking only about your task list and start thinking about how your work connects to the bigger picture.
People who lead:
Check in early — not just at the end.
Share updates on their work that helps others to plan.
Flag risks that might affect others.
Offer help when someone’s overloaded.
Even just thinking beyond your own responsibilities shows maturity. It says: I get it. I think like a leader.
You Don’t Need a Title to Lead
Leadership isn’t about being the smartest, or being the loudest voice, and it’s definitely not about the job title. It’s about how you show up.
Start now – lead from where you are. Be curious. Be intentional. And take the time now, early in your career, to explore what authentic leadership looks like for you.
Show up with self-awareness, empathy, curiosity and desire to add value — and you’ll be seen not just as a great teammate, but as a future leader.
