Leading Without a Map: How to Find Your Feet in a Role That’s Not Clearly Defined

Have you ever stepped into a role where no one could really tell you what success looks like? Where the job title exists, but the expectations don’t?

For many frontline leaders, this is the norm, not the exception. Roles evolve, restructures happen, and you’re suddenly expected to lead… something. But what, exactly?

The temptation is to wait for clarity, often from your own leader. Surely someone has a plan.

But here’s the truth: in undefined roles, the leaders who thrive are the ones who create clarity, not wait for it.

So, how do you lead without a map? Here's how to take ownership of an undefined role, starting with the people around you.

Step 1: Identify Your Critical Stakeholders

Start by asking: Who will care most or be impacted by the outcomes of this role?
Think up, down and across your organisation.  This might include your direct manager, upstream or downstream functions, safety reps, site supervisors or cross-functional peers. Make a list of 5–7 key people.

Then, book short, purposeful chats with each. Your goal isn’t to go too broad (your not there to keep everyone happy) or to impress, it’s to understand.

Try asking:

• “What’s working well that you don’t want to lose?”
• “What’s the biggest frustration or gap you see right now?”
• “If this role delivered great value, what would be different 3 months from now?”

Listen for themes. These insights will become the raw material for shaping your role.

Step 2: Define the Role, From the Ground Up

Once you’ve gathered insights, start drafting your own version of the role. This isn’t about rewriting the job description, it’s about answering three practical questions:

• What are the key outcomes I want to deliver?

(E.g. increase team accountability, improve shift handover communication, provide feedback to improve overall performance)

• What are my focus areas for the short and long term?

Choose 2–3 areas based on the strongest stakeholder themes. 

What won’t I do right now?

In unclear roles, saying yes to everything = delivering nothing. Be explicit about what’s not your focus (yet).

Share your role definition draft with your manager or sponsor. Ask: “Does this feel aligned to what’s needed right now?” Adjust as needed, now you’re leading the role, not chasing it.

Step 3: Build Credibility Through Action

With focus areas clear, start creating visible progress. Share regular, brief updates with stakeholders: “Here’s where I am making progress, here’s what I’m focusing on, here’s what’s next.”

You’ll build trust by showing that you’re:

• Listening, acting on feedback and delivering early wins

This is how roles become defined, through behaviour, not checklists or documents.

Step 4: Create Authority and Become the Go-To Person

Once you've shaped and aligned your role, the next step is to step fully into it and own it.  Not just by doing the work, but by owning the space.

Being in a newly defined role means others won’t automatically come to you, they will maintain their normal ways of doing things. You have to earn that authority by showing that you’re the go to person who gets things done, sees the bigger picture, and keeps people aligned.

Here’s how to build that kind of presence:

• Be the connector, not just the doer.
  Share insights across teams, highlight patterns, and bring people together to solve common problems. Show others the value you are creating, when people see that you’re thinking beyond your silo, you become invaluable.
• Show consistency in your message and actions.
  Authority builds when people can rely on you, when you speak clearly about your role, act in alignment with it, and follow through. It’s not about being loud; it’s about being dependable.
• Ask to be included: early.
  Don’t wait to be invited into key discussions. Say things like: “This links directly to what I’m driving, let me support the team with this,” or “To avoid double handling, I can own that stream moving forward.”
• Promote your wins and progress (this is the one a lot of leaders struggle with the most)
  Seize opportunities to share brief updates with stakeholders: what’s happening, what’s improving, and where support is needed. This visibility reinforces that you’re not just active, you’re accountable and change is happening.

Authority in leadership isn’t about the org chart, it’s about owning your lane, showing your value, and helping others succeed. In time, people will start saying: “You should speak to [you] about that.”

That’s when you know you’ve become the go-to.

Undefined roles can leave us feeling lost and create uncertainty, they are also a great opportunity to create the role and have the impact you want to have in your organisation.  But you need to drive it.  

By listening deeply, acting deliberately, and aligning early with those around you, you’ll not only define your role, you’ll define your impact.

If the map doesn't exist, its up to you to create it.