Want My Job? Here’s the Path

She said it like a question. But it wasn’t. The question came with confidence. The answer came with truth. “I want to be CEO.”

I smiled and said, “That’s great , but here’s how you do it.”

Keep your head down and master your role.

Lift your head up and help the person next to you.

Solve problems others avoid.

And over time, you’ll earn the influence that makes the top job possible.

Because leadership isn’t a leap, it’s a series of quiet, consistent steps.

Insight

Leadership is not seized.

It’s entrusted,  to those who make themselves indispensable by serving others.

The people who rise aren’t chasing titles.

They’re building trust.

They earn responsibility because they carry weight well, not because they demand it.

Transformation

The path to the top isn’t paved with ambition alone.

It’s shaped by service.

Every time you help someone else succeed, you expand your capacity for leadership.

Every problem you solve, every hand you lift, strengthens your influence.

That’s how the best leaders are made, not through position, but through posture.

Takeaway

If you want my job or any leadership role, start by making yourself useful.

Do the work others overlook.

Help others win.

That’s how you earn the right to lead.

Reflection

Who are you helping succeed today?

And what small act of service could grow your influence tomorrow?

Hi, I’m Orvin Kimbrough, volunteer, board director, chairman, and CEO. I help professionals move from feeling stuck to being strengthened by reshaping how they think, lead, and live. My work focuses on confidence, leadership, and influence through mindset shifts, expanded networks, and bold, values-aligned action. My perspective is rooted in lived experience, from growing up in foster care to leading complex institutions as a CEO and shaped by faith, resilience, and a deep belief in human potential.

Rectangle 19461
 

Books for Every Stage

Twice Over a Man

A memoir often described as a leadership guide wrapped in an honest, relatable story of perseverance, healing, and growth. It explores how pain can be reframed into purpose and how ordinary people build meaningful lives through courage and clarity.

More Than a Conqueror

Written for teens and young adults, this book encourages confidence, resilience, and identity formation during the years when self-belief is being shaped.

Ward and the State

A children’s book that gently introduces big ideas like belonging, courage, and hope, helping young readers see themselves as more than their circumstances

 

INTRODUCING: The Thriver’s Path™

This blog is part of The Thriver’s Path™ — a growing ecosystem of writing, courses, reflections, and community designed to help people of all ages reframe their thinking, reclaim their agency, and take their next meaningful move.

→ Ready for your next move?

Explore more writings, resources, and ways to engage at orvinkimbrough.com, or join the conversation inside the Thrivers Club™ community.

Enjoyed this post?

Stay connected and continue the journey with insights on leadership, growth, resilience, and intentional living delivered straight to your inbox. 

Typing+Blog+Still

Subscribe to the Leadership Insights Newsletter and receive: 

Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Thought-provoking reflections and leadership perspectives
  • Practical strategies for personal and professional growth
  • Monthly insights and inspiration
  • Early announcements and updates from The Thrivers Path™
Tags: Leadership