A coxswain has to tell eight bigger rowers to push harder. Leadership is often tiny people with loud voices.

Size has almost nothing to do with authority, and a boat makes that unusually obvious. The person calling the rate is the one with the clearest view and the job of using it, and that is what the crew responds to rather than any physical claim. Leading from the smallest seat works because the role is the thing, not the body sitting in it. Learning that early saves you years of waiting to feel big enough.

Take a role this week where you are the least impressive person on paper. Then do the job properly: clear instructions, good timing, no apologizing for holding it.