Leadership Still Matters When Nobody Reports to You

Joshua Selfe described a form of leadership that does not depend on keeping the formal leadership role.

In his Fireside Chat conversation, he recalled military training in which responsibilities could change during a patrol. Someone carrying equipment could suddenly be responsible for making decisions. That person still needed the people around them to contribute and help the group succeed.

Selfe connected the experience with work in a matrix organization, where people must cooperate even when they do not report to one another. He emphasized the small interactions that make that cooperation possible.

Contribute from the role you occupy

His account included both leading and supporting the person currently in charge. Those responsibilities were connected. A team member's willingness to help mattered before, during and after a change in formal authority.

The editorial relevance for cybersecurity is the amount of work that crosses reporting lines. A security objective may need contributions from engineering, operations or business colleagues. An organization chart does not, by itself, create those contributions.

Selfe also acknowledged that moving from military to civilian work required adapting his approach. His point was not to reproduce military command in an office. It was to recognize what he had learned about people, then apply it in a different environment.

The practical question for a cyber professional is where they can make the shared task easier from the position they hold today. Clarifying information, supporting a decision and following through can all demonstrate leadership without requiring a change in title. Selfe's story puts that everyday contribution at the center of teamwork.

Listen to the original conversation with Joshua Selfe · Read the transcript

From the Fireside Chat archive: original episode published 2023-05-24. This is an editorial reflection on that conversation, not a new interview or an update on the guest’s current role.