Luck has often been defined as what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Leadership is a lot like that. First you have to prepare yourself to be capable of influencing how other people think. Second, you have to continually prepare yourself to become even better at influencing how other people think. Third, you have to keep on improving your capacity to influence others.

Somewhere around step fifty you might get a meaningful opportunity to influence other people.

Great leaders are ready before that moment occurs.