Growth sometimes shows up as the day you realize you’re the adult in the room.

There is no ceremony for this. One day something goes wrong and you notice that nobody more senior is coming, so the decision is yours: the little kids are looking at you, or the customer is waiting, or somebody has to make the call. The strange part is finding out you are capable of it slightly before you feel ready.

When that moment arrives, do the simple next thing instead of looking for permission. Afterwards, note what you handled, because you will forget by next week and the evidence is useful. Readiness tends to show up after the first time.