>>45295227In-universe Misty is a beautiful tomboy girl, but her low self-confidence and the success of her sisters have caused her a strong inferiority complex. Becoming the official leader of the gym gave her that push she needed to stand out on her own, unfortunately this did not develop well during the series and it had to be special episodes (Chronicles and Alola) who handled this better.
If Shudo had been more interested in developing her character with an emphasis on these elements, Misty's arc would have been great.
