Leadership Development After Rank: Reinventing Authority, Identity & Governance

There’s a moment in every leader’s life when the title no longer carries the weight it once did.

The uniform comes off.
The office changes.
The structure disappears.

And what remains is the real question: Who are you without the rank?

In this episode of Inner Work, MaryAnn Means-Dufrene sits down with TD Smyers,  retired Navy Captain and CEO of BoardBuild, to explore the evolution of leadership beyond authority. This conversation moves from military command to nonprofit governance, from institutional power to earned influence, and from external success to internal alignment.

Because leadership development doesn’t end when a career chapter closes.
That’s often where it begins.

The Disruption: The Limits of Your Circle

During his tenure as CEO of United Way of Tarrant County, TD faced a problem that couldn’t be solved through experience or effort alone.

He needed to diversify his board.

Not just across race or gender; but industry, geography, lived experience, disability representation. He needed broader perspective. Deeper alignment. More intentional governance.

Instead, he kept running into the same wall:

The pool.

“I can only access the people I know. When I rely on my network to diversify, I immediately come up short.”

The issue wasn’t competence. It wasn’t commitment. It was structure. Boards were being built from familiarity rather than intentional reach.

That realization sparked something entrepreneurial. If the system wasn’t scalable, it had to be redesigned.

BoardBuild was born from that disruption, a platform created to expand access, train board members, and strengthen nonprofit governance from the inside out.

But building it required TD to evolve his own leadership first.

The Inner Work:  From Position to Presence

In the military, authority is clear. Rank signals leadership. Structure supports execution.

In the nonprofit world, influence must be earned differently.

No one stands when you enter the room.
There’s no automatic alignment.
Only persuasion, clarity, and trust.

Transitioning from command to collaboration required humility, and self-awareness.

TD reflects on the importance of authenticity: understanding how you are wired, what strengths you bring, and how to lead from alignment rather than imitation.

“Be inspired by other leaders. But execute based on who you are.”

Leadership development, he explains, isn’t about sharpening the wrong material. Training alone cannot transform misalignment. But when the right people are recruited;  passionate, mission-driven, self-aware,  governance becomes powerful.

The work begins with identity.

The Rebuild: Governance That Fuels Mission

BoardBuild now operates across multiple states, connecting corporations, nonprofits, and individuals through certified board training and intentional placement.

The platform serves:

• Nonprofits seeking stronger governance and aligned executive teams
  
• Corporations investing in leadership development training through board service
  
• Individuals pursuing meaningful, strategic community leadership
  
  

But growth brought its own edge.

Leading a decentralized team required clearer communication. Greater patience. More repetition. The urgency that once fueled action had to be balanced with structure and sustainability.

“I’ve learned the process takes the time it takes.”

That insight wasn’t learned in a boardroom.

It was learned at sea.

What I Know Now: Authority Is Temporary. Identity Is Not.

After decades of structured leadership, TD and his wife stepped away for three years to sail.

Out on open water, there is no hierarchy to lean on. No staff to call. No system to absorb mistakes.

Only partnership. Process. Presence.

Something broke, you fixed it. Something failed, you adapted. Worry wasted energy. The ocean demanded clarity.

That season reshaped him.

Leadership without rank revealed leadership within.

Today, authenticity anchors his work. Reflection grounds his decisions. And governance, when done well, becomes less about control and more about stewardship.

True leadership development isn’t about the position you hold.
It’s about the character you cultivate when the position changes.

If you’re navigating executive transition, strengthening governance, or redefining leadership beyond position, this conversation offers both strategy and soul.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now!