Claiming Your Seat: Owning Your Leadership and Asking for What You’re Worth

Last week, I talked about leading without a title (you can find the post here); about how many of us have been doing the work long before the recognition ever showed up.

But let me be clear: just because you’ve gotten used to that doesn’t mean you need to stay there.

We get so used to being the one who “just gets it done.” The one who anticipates needs, holds the line, leads the charge—quietly. We learn how to lead without credit, to fix without fanfare. We make it look easy.

But at some point, you have to shift from proving yourself to positioning yourself.

There’s a difference.

Proving yourself is rooted in asking for permission. Positioning yourself is about taking up space because you already know you’ve earned it.

And yes, I know what the world feels like right now. I know what it means to be a Black woman, a first-gen professional, an immigrant—especially in this political climate. It feels safer sometimes to shrink. To not call attention to yourself. To work hard, stay low, and hope someone notices.

But now is not the time to shrink.

Now is the time to own what you bring to the table. Fully.

Because if you’re doing the work—steering strategy, mentoring teammates, managing outcomes, building culture—you’re not just showing promise. You’re showing proof.

And proof deserves recognition. Proof deserves investment. Proof deserves respect.

You’ve earned your seat.

So take it.

That means asking for the title that reflects the weight you carry. That means requesting the compensation that aligns with your impact. That means stepping into rooms like you belong—because you do.

You’re not asking for a favor. You’re asking for what’s already yours.

This isn’t ego. It’s equity.

We’ve been conditioned to wait. To be grateful for the opportunity. To not “rock the boat.” But rocking the boat is how we make waves.

And here’s the real truth: you claiming your seat gives other people permission to claim theirs too.

When you stand tall in what you’ve earned, you shift the room for everyone coming behind you. When you demand fair compensation, you raise the standard for the next woman who looks like you. When you walk in your authority, you remind people that leadership has never been about titles alone.

So this is your reminder: you don’t have to keep waiting for someone to validate what you already know to be true.

You’re already doing it. You’re already enough. You’re already worthy.

Now claim it.

Because wah fi yuh, cyaan un fi yuh.

~Meisha