You first. March to the head of the line, grab the top plate, raise your hand before anyone else does; you’re not shy about taking charge or being first. Somebody needs to do it, to assume control, to step up and take responsibility.

In the new book, “When Everyone Leads” by Ed O’Malley & Julia Fabris McBride, it might as well be you.

You’re a few weeks into the new year and your life is still full of challenges. Now’s the time to learn that the way to get past them isn’t through authority or a supervisor or a motivational breakout session. It’s leadership that makes progress.

The problem, even at the top level, is most of us don’t lead. We practice “followership” that looks like leadership, but it isn’t. Leadership is a way of “seeing and seizing moments to help a group move forward.”

“If anyone can lead,” say the authors, “then everyone can lead.” And that means you, too.

There are five principles that will “guide your way.”

First, you need authority but authority alone is not enough. Leadership is an action, and it’s essential for making progress.

If you see a solution, don’t sit on the sidelines: “Anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere.”

You cannot lead alone and fix the problem: you must gather others and get them involved.

Remember leading is not without risk and leadership isn’t for the easy things. It’s “about our toughest challenges.”

Identify what lies between right now and your imagined future, or what the authors call “The Gap.” Be willing to see the negative things inside this dilemma, look down the road to identify rough spots, and encourage the rest of your team to contribute. Know the difficulties in closing The Gap. And when the time is right, “authorize yourself” to lead.

“Don’t wait for permission to make things better.”

If you’re an employee, you might already be itching for what you’ll learn inside “When Everyone Leads.” Certainly, you can read it any time and it’ll make you feel better about your job; in fact, it’s full of ideas that you can use almost everywhere in your life. It’s a great way to start seeking a better work situation.

Many employers will thank you for reading it carefully.

With a nice closed-circle method of teaching, authors Ed O’Malley & Julia Fabris McBride, both of the Kansas Leadership Center, turn the usual definition of “leadership” upside down. Here, leadership is not a seize-control-and-command, man-your-stations sort of thing; instead, the authors advise a gentler method that uses thoughtfulness, a hint of bravado, cooperation and a more direct, literal look at the root word, “lead.”

The distinction is essential. It almost begs for guidance in certain workplaces, so take note. This is a good read, and C-Suiters and experienced leaders will find in “When Everyone Leads” a deliberate, pleasant way to find hidden talent and bring up the next generation of leaders. Just tread cautiously: a group read may be a good idea, but you first.

Terri Schlichenmeyer’s reviews of business books are read in more than 260 publications in the U.S. and Canada.