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Want to be a leader? Not everyone does

Society has perpetuated this notion that you haven't really made it in life unless you've risen to the top of your field -- that in order to truly be respected by your peers, you have to become a business owner or president, vice president, or director of a company.

To me, this is pure hogwash. Not everyone wishes to be in a senior level position in which they're tasked with making pivotal decisions for their department or for the company as a whole. Nor do most people feel drawn to the idea of running their own company.

Why?

For one, people have different personalities. Introverts tend to be drawn to behind-the-scenes, production-oriented positions where they can let their work do all the talking.

Let's not forget that the higher you move up in the chain of command, the less specialized your job is likely to become. For example, instead of only handling, say, research and development, you'll now have to worry about budgeting and assume other responsibilities that may not exactly be to your liking.

Further, some of us have no interest in managing others. We like focusing entirely on our work, and supervising others can not only be distracting but also conducive to workplace bickering and politicking.

Thirdly, not everyone has the same ambitions when it comes to money. Sure, everyone would like to earn six figures, but at what cost? If it means having to work upwards of 50 hours a week and having to spend less time with our families, then many of us -- including myself -- would kindly pass.

Being a leader is not for everyone, and we should not let society dictate our career trajectory for us. Some of us are perfectly happy not being on the front lines as long as we get paid decently and can go home at a reasonable time to be with our families.

How interested are you in being a leader?
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