Didn't get that promotion? Implicit Leadership Theory might be to blame

Leadership as a concept is chaff thrown up by those in charge to avoid us referring to them as rulers or bosses. It's been quite successful and so most people now believe some variant on the myth that there is indeed an identifiable quality called leadership, and that the more of it you have the more qualified you are to be a leader.

That said, some rulers and bosses are better than others, in a variety of senses. It's not wrong to categorize them and try to figure out how and why they are better or worse, but it is IMO important to try and resist the temptation to adopt the worldview that the word "leadership" drags along with it.

Have you had instances where you thought Implicit Leadership Theory (ILT) played a factor in your rise/fall?