The Leadership Obsession in Job Listings: Is It Really Necessary?

While applying for jobs recently, I noticed a recurring theme: almost every advertised position required 'leadership abilities'. Not just for executive-level roles, either. This was across the board. You either had to possess them or have clearly demonstrated them.

Most of these listings came from executive recruiting agencies, which seemed fixated on leadership as a non-negotiable trait. But what does that even mean?

In a world where everyone’s a leader, it seems the only thing you can’t afford to be is someone quietly getting the job done.