Striving for leadership seemed like a path of diminishing, even negative returns for me in a corporate job. Those at the top worked twice as hard (at least) for maybe 10% more pay and were just as subject to layoffs as I was. The economics dictated that I just go with the flow.

There's also a risk in the corporate world. Bad managers see leaders as threats and terminate them. I've seen it happen too many times in my careeer.

Now I'm on an different path, where leadership is demanded and rewarded (startups), so my attitude is very different. I have a long ways to go.