"If you can rally people around a vision, you’re already leading—even if your email signature says otherwise."

Today’s Ladder:

The Framework Nobody Talks About

Some of the best leaders I’ve ever worked with...
didn’t have the title.

No VP or CEO badge.
No team under them.
No official power.

But when they spoke, people listened.

They weren’t bossy.
They were believable.

These were the professionals others trusted in a crisis, turned to for clarity, and followed—even when no one had to follow them.

So what made them so influential without a single ounce of authority?

Turns out, it wasn’t personality.
It was a framework.
One that anyone can use.

I call it the C.O.R.E. Influence Framework.

And once I saw this pattern among the top 1%, I couldn’t unsee it.

C.O.R.E. Influence Framework

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Credibility – Build trust through consistency. Do what you say you’ll do. Know your stuff. People follow who they trust.

2. Ownership – Don’t wait to be told. Step up, speak up, solve problems. Leaders go first.

3. Relationships – Influence travels through connection. Take time to listen, support, and collaborate.

4. Execution – Deliver results. It’s hard to ignore the person who quietly gets things done—and done well.

You don’t need a title to use C.O.R.E.
You just need to decide to lead.

• Lead when no one asks you to.

• Lead when there’s no reward in sight.

• Lead when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or invisible.

• Lead by stepping in, stepping up, and sometimes stepping back.

The best leaders don’t wait for a crown to act royal.

They just lead… again and again.

Until everyone else sees what was true all along.

Takeaway:

You Don’t Need Authority

You’re in a meeting full of big voices and big titles… and none of them are yours.

You’ve got the idea. You’ve done the work.
But when it’s time to speak up, something in you whispers: “Wait your turn.”

I remember feeling that. 

Like I needed permission. Like leadership only belonged to the loudest person in the room. Or the one with the corner office.

Until I learned something that changed everything:

Leadership isn’t granted. It’s chosen.

“You need courage to take ownership before anyone asks you to.”

So I started raising my hand. Offering solutions. Supporting the team even when no one was watching.

And little by little, people started following my lead—not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

You don’t need a formal title to lead.
You just need the C.O.R.E. Influence Framework… to belong in the room.

Because you do.

ICYMI: Links to recent issues

👏 How to Ask and Motivate: The Art of Inspiring Action in Your Team

💪 Unlock Your True Potential: Finding Career Satisfaction by Embracing Your Identity

🙋🏻‍♀️ How to Think on Your Feet: The secret to thinking fast before speaking up

To your success,

Dr. Lex ✍️

Founder, Career Ladder | Career MBA