I'm a Marine who pushed myself to the brink for promotions - until I learned true leadership isn't about rank or title

"My specialty in the Marines was administration, so my work focused mainly on personal records management. Promotions in that area started off feeling fair. Show up on time, prove yourself, and you move up. But as I advanced, the process became less predictable. It wasn't just about individual performance anymore. Promotions depended on your job specialty, the number of available slots, and wide retention rates. The promotion system, like many institutions, wasn't purely meritocratic."

"The most vivid challenge came when I was up for a meritorious board, which is an expedited promotion process for the rank of Lance Corporal. It required both a fitness test and a knowledge exam. A week before, I twisted my foot badly and injured my hip in martial arts training. I could barely walk. My staff sergeant told me they were considering pulling me out because part of the exam involved running three miles."

"As a Marine, I wanted to be a leader, so I chased promotions and rank. I even pushed myself so far physically to pass one exam and earn a promotion. I later learned true leadership has nothing to do with title. When I enlisted in the Marines, I came in with no real expectations. I didn't have a clear picture of what military life would be, but I had ambition."

A Marine enlisted without clear expectations and sought rank and authority, believing promotion would grant leadership. Early promotions in an administrative specialty seemed merit-based: punctuality and competence led to advancement. As advancement continued, promotions became influenced by job specialty, available slots, and retention rates; timing, politics, and perception affected outcomes. A desire for expedited promotion led to intense physical preparation for a meritorious board. A severe foot and hip injury threatened participation in the fitness test that included a three-mile run. The experience revealed that leadership is defined by actions and responsibility rather than by title alone.

Read at Business Insider