I think it is important for people who are given leadership roles

“I think it is important for people who are given leadership roles to assume that role immediately.” Thus spoke Bob Iger, a man who guided the great empire of imagination — The Walt Disney Company — through eras of transformation and triumph. His words, simple yet commanding, reveal a truth known since the dawn of civilization: that leadership delayed is leadership denied. When destiny places the mantle of command upon one’s shoulders, hesitation is not humility — it is abdication. For in the hour of transition, when eyes turn to the chosen, strength must rise without delay.

Iger’s wisdom was forged not in the comfort of theory, but in the furnace of reality. When he ascended to Disney’s throne in 2005, the company was divided, its magic dimmed by conflict and uncertainty. Yet he did not waver, nor did he linger in the shadow of his predecessor. He assumed his role immediately, setting forth a vision of clarity — to restore creativity, embrace technology, and expand Disney’s reach through bold alliances. Within years, his steady hand transformed turmoil into triumph. This, then, is the essence of his teaching: that a leader who delays becomes a void, and a void invites chaos.

The ancients, too, understood this sacred principle. When Alexander the Great inherited his father’s crown at barely twenty years of age, he faced rebellion, doubt, and enemies on all sides. But he did not wait to grow into kingship — he stepped into it with the confidence of one born to command. He rode at the head of his armies, quelled the insurrection, and carried his father’s dream to the ends of the earth. His power did not come from his youth, nor from his title, but from his immediacy of action — the same fire that Iger speaks of, the readiness to embody leadership the moment it is bestowed.

To assume the role immediately is not to act rashly, nor to wield authority with arrogance. It is to understand that the moment one is chosen to lead, others are watching — seeking direction, courage, and purpose. Every delay, every uncertainty, sends ripples of doubt through the hearts of those who follow. But the leader who stands firm, who speaks with calm conviction, who takes the reins without apology, becomes the anchor that steadies the storm. For leadership is not a question of time; it is a question of presence.

Yet many falter here, deceived by the comfort of preparation. They say, “I will lead when I am ready.” But readiness is a mirage that flees as we approach it. True leaders are not born ready; they become ready by leading. The act itself shapes the soul, the weight itself strengthens the arm. Just as the blacksmith’s fire forges steel, the assumption of responsibility forges character. Thus Iger’s counsel is not only for the boardroom or the battlefield, but for every moment in life when fate whispers, It is your turn.

Consider the words of Queen Elizabeth I, who, upon ascending the English throne after years of peril, declared, “This I do know: I have the heart and stomach of a king.” She had been trained in fear, surrounded by intrigue, her life uncertain. Yet the instant the crown was placed upon her brow, she became the monarch her people needed — decisive, resilient, unshaken. Her reign ushered in an age of glory and discovery because she, like Iger, understood that hesitation in the face of duty is the seed of ruin.

The lesson, then, is this: when the mantle of leadership falls upon you — in your work, your family, your community — do not shrink from it. Step forward with clarity. Lead not with pride, but with purpose. Speak when silence breeds confusion; act when delay invites decay. For the moment you are chosen, the world tests not your experience, but your resolve. The leader’s crown is heavy, yes, but it grows lighter when worn with conviction.

And so, remember Iger’s immortal truth: leadership is not a waiting room — it is a battlefield. Those who hesitate will be swept aside by the tide of time. Those who act, even with trembling hands, will learn, grow, and endure. To assume the role immediately is to honor the trust placed in you, to ignite courage in others, and to move the world forward one decision at a time. So when your hour comes — as it surely will — rise, and take your place without fear. For in that moment, you will not simply be given leadership; you will become it.