I AM Leadership: The Posture of Purpose

Part 2 of the “I AM” Leadership Series

Where We’re Going

Dear Readers 

Last week, we explored Expansion — how growth begins when we allow ourselves to stretch beyond comfort and align with purpose.

This week, we move to the next layer of that journey: Leadership.
Because leadership isn’t just what you do — it’s how you show up.

Leadership is not a position or a title. It’s a posture — one rooted in presence, empathy, and purpose. When you carry leadership as posture, you don’t just move teams and projects forward; you move people forward.

The Story

When I reflect on my career and the seasons that shaped me, leadership has always been about more than results. It’s been about responsibility — the responsibility to influence, to develop others, and to make decisions with integrity even when the path isn’t popular.

I think back to moments that tested that belief — leading high-stakes projects in aerospace and defense, guiding teams through transformation, and representing our work across global platforms. Each season required balance: confidence and humility, the vision to lead and the wisdom to listen.

But the real lessons came in quieter spaces — mentoring a young engineer who doubted his path, coaching a team through uncertainty, or simply modeling consistency when others were watching what I’d do next. Leadership, I’ve learned, lives in those in-between moments — where values meet visibility.

This year reminded me that my greatest growth as a leader comes not from authority but from alignment. Through The Storyteller and Brothers in Aerospace and Defense, I’ve seen how storytelling shapes culture. People don’t follow titles — they follow truth. And when you lead from your truth, you give others permission to lead from theirs.

Leadership, for me, is service in motion — stewardship of influence. It’s seeing the unseen potential in others and pulling it forward through encouragement, expectation, and example.

That’s why I define leadership as posture:

The Lesson

Leadership is less about commanding outcomes and more about cultivating ownership.

When you embody leadership, you build environments where people want to give their best — not because they have to, but because they’re inspired to.

True leadership isn’t loud; it’s lasting. It’s the quiet consistency of showing up prepared, centered, and aligned — even when recognition doesn’t come.

Actions to Work With

1. Lead with Presence: Before every major meeting or decision, pause and ask: Who needs me to be fully present right now?

2. Model Alignment: Identify one behavior or habit that reflects your values — and practice it consistently for seven days.

3. Multiply Leadership: Invest in someone else’s leadership journey. Mentor. Encourage. Invite. Expand what you’ve learned by passing it forward.

Books & Resources to Build On

A curated set of readings and voices that continue to shape how we view leadership, purpose, and influence:

• 📘 The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table — Minda Harts

• 📗 Leadership and Self-Deception — The Arbinger Institute

• 📙 Expect to Win / Strategize to Win — Carla Harris 

• 🎧 Leadership Voices:

  • The Secret to Success Podcast — Dr. Eric Thomas

  • Building the Good Life — John Hope Bryant

Storyteller’s Reflection

Next Week: I Am Integrity

Integrity is the quiet power that sustains impact.
Next Issue, we’ll explore how consistency, character, and credibility define leadership that lasts.

Founder of The Storyteller Newsletter
DeWayne Allen 
www.demalo-ent.com