In seasons of change – restructure, redundancy, reinvention –
your positioning becomes everything.
Not your title.
Not your tenure.
Not how “busy” you are.
But how clearly and consistently you’re seen, felt, and known.
That’s positioning.
And if you’re not choosing it consciously?
You’re being positioned by default.
So… What is Positioning, Really?
It’s not your LinkedIn headline.
It’s not how many panels you’ve sat on.
And it’s definitely not how polished your résumé looks.
Positioning is how people experience you.
How they feel you.
And what they say about you when you’re not in the room.
In short?
It’s your leadership brand.
And it’s working, whether you’re being intentional about it or not.
The lesson I learned the hard way
Early in my corporate career, I went for a big leadership role.
I knew I was a strong fit, driven, reliable, performing well.
But when I raised my hand?
My leader didn’t even consider me.
Confused, I asked a few people I trusted for honest feedback.
And what they shared… stung.
“You come across as the fun one. The life of the party.
You’re well-liked, but not necessarily seen as leadership material.”
That floored me.
I thought I was being seen as responsible, strategic, and serious about the work.
But the way I was showing up didn’t match the perception I wanted to create.
I was unconsciously positioning myself through behaviour that didn’t reflect my values.
Not because I was fake – but because I was on autopilot.
Trying to be what I thought people liked.
Not what I actually stood for.
It took me a year of intentional action to realign how I showed up.
But I did it.
I got that role.
And more importantly, I earned the clarity and confidence to hold it.
Why this Matters Now, More Than Ever
We’re living in a time of massive leadership disruption.
Mergers. Re-orgs. Redundancies. Role cuts. Culture shifts.
The rules are changing.
And in uncertain environments, those who can articulate their value – clearly, consistently, confidently – are the ones who remain trusted, visible, and impactful.
Positioning isn’t a flare you shoot up when you need something.
It’s a steady fire you tend to.
Every single day.
A Positioning Self-Audit
Not sure where you stand? Start here.
Ask yourself:
- What do I want to be known for – really?
- Do my actions, voice, and presence reflect that – consistently?
- Where am I blending in to stay safe, instead of standing in what’s true?
- What do people say about me when I’m not in the room?
- Am I being strategic about how I show up – or running on autopilot?
You don’t need a new role to reposition yourself
You don’t need a title change, a rebrand, or a shiny new platform.
You just need clarity.
And the courage to back it with consistent action.
Because your positioning?
It’s either designed—on purpose.
Or it’s defaulted—by habit, by history, or by someone else’s lens.
The choice?
It’s always yours.