Part of The Voice I Almost Lost – Blog #9
by Alana Pierre Curry
Back in Blog #2, I wrote about the kind of leadership that shows up in action, not title. The quiet authority that keeps everything moving while someone else gets the credit. Today, I want to look at the other side of that story.
What happens when the title does come first—but the substance doesn’t follow?
Sometimes, someone nails the interview. They say all the right things. They speak the lingo, hit the buzzwords, and knock it out of the proverbial park. You sit across from them and think, This is it. This is the person we’ve been waiting for. You exhale, maybe even smile a little inside. Finally. You’ve found the right one for the job.
Then they start.
At first, things seem fine—great even. You expect a learning curve. You know there will be questions, adjustments, onboarding. But then a month passes. Then two. And somewhere after the 90-day mark, you find yourself giving the benefit of the doubt… again.
Because surely, it just takes time.
Because maybe they’re still adjusting.
Because starting over would be exhausting.
But what if the curve has flattened—and this is it?
What happens when you realize that what looked like confidence was only polish? That the passion they spoke of in the interview hasn’t shown up for the team? What do you do when you look around and realize the people who need them most—their team—are the ones being let down?
You start to wonder:
Are they aware?
Do they think they’re doing well?
Is that perfectly crafted elevator speech still echoing somewhere, giving the illusion of alignment to everyone but the people closest to the work?
Here’s the truth: having the title without the tools isn’t the end of the world. We’ve all had to grow into something. We’ve all had a role that stretched us. That’s not the issue.
The issue is what you do next.
Do you lean in and learn?
Do you ask questions, accept feedback, and build trust from the inside out?
Or do you keep coasting—saying the right things to the right people while your team silently holds it all together behind you?
Leadership isn’t about flawless entry. It’s about honest presence.
It’s about knowing when to say, “I’m not sure, but I’ll find out.”
It’s about earning—not assuming—trust.
It’s about being the kind of leader your team can turn to, not just talk about.
Because at the end of the day, titles can open doors. But only real leadership keeps people from walking out of them.