Skills vs. Titles: What Leadership Has Taught Me about Curiosity

As a leader — especially one who has changed departments or joined new organizations — I’ve learned that people’s titles don’t always align with their skills. Sometimes their abilities far exceed the boundaries of their roles. I’ve seen it most often with newcomers, younger employees, and women — people whose potential can be overlooked simply because their title doesn’t match their talent.

The Myth of Titles in Leadership

One of my biggest lessons in this came during my time in government. We were tasked with restructuring a community-based committee, with significant timelines that had to align with legislative changes. It was a complex project requiring strategic thinking and precision.

I met with the senior official assigned to lead the work, walked through the expected outcomes, and asked for a detailed plan. Weeks passed. Each time I reviewed the work, it was still incomplete. Despite examples, feedback, and what I considered coaching-style conversations, the process dragged on for months.

I was frustrated — not because of the missed deadline alone, but because I couldn’t understand how someone at that level couldn’t deliver. It was a humbling reminder that a title doesn’t necessarily indicate capability, and that even experienced professionals need clarity, structure, and sometimes a different kind of support.

Curiosity Over Assumption

That experience reshaped how I lead. You can’t always measure someone’s skill by task completion or assume a job title reflects their competence. Leadership — and coaching — both rely on curiosity.

Instead of asking “What’s your role?” I’ve learned to ask “What are you great at?” or “What do you love about your work?” These questions reveal far more about a person’s true strengths and motivation. When we shift from assumption to curiosity, we begin to see people as they are — not as their title suggests.

Willingness Over Expertise

During that same period, I saw the opposite story play out. A colleague — my true partner in crime — and I built what we called the Sunday Spreadsheet to track program outcomes and expenditures. (Yes, we built it on a Sunday — it was COVID, and deadlines didn’t wait.)

They weren’t an Excel expert at the time, but they were curious, resourceful, and eager to learn. Together, we created what became our central dashboard — something that might have taken months elsewhere — in a single day. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked, and we refined it as we went.

That experience reinforced a powerful truth: the willingness to learn often outperforms expertise. When someone’s mindset is “let’s figure it out,” progress happens quickly — and that momentum builds trust.

Spotting Hidden Gems

A similar lesson came from a student in my office — a government “STEP” position. When I first met him, he was at reception with a laptop on his lap, completing basic administrative tasks. As we talked, I learned he was finishing his degree and eager to do more. I gave him real assignments — reviewing data, building spreadsheets, summarizing program results — and he thrived.

That experience stayed with me. People often rise to the level of opportunity they’re given. Sometimes the most capable individuals are quietly waiting for someone to notice their potential.

Lessons in Leadership and Coaching

True leadership means recognizing skill where others see status, leadership isn’t about hierarchy . It means creating the conditions where people can stretch, experiment, and grow. Coaching is one of the most effective ways to build that environment — one conversation at a time.

You can’t always gauge someone’s skill by their title or even how they present themselves. Sometimes you have to see them in action, listen deeply, and give them the space to show what they can really do.

And when you do, they often surprise you.

Great leadership starts with curiosity — and grows through coaching. If this story resonates, explore how coaching can help you or your team uncover hidden potential.