How to Seize Growth Points
The first sign of life is growth. Leaders who aren’t growing are dying.
Great dreams require great growth.
Exponential growth occurs when:
- Success feels uncertain.
- New skills are needed.
- Situations feel awkward.
Lack and uncertainty are opportunities for growth. Push through. Don’t pull back.
5 enemies of growth:
- Using authenticity as a shield or crutch. Every time you expand your capacity, it feels awkward at the beginning. Trying new skills often feels fake. Let your authentic self feel awkward.
- Avoiding uncomfortable challenges.
- Clinging to established practices.
- Pretending to know.
- Over-concern regarding failure.
Running from discomfort may feel comfortable, but it stunts growth.
When to say yes to discomfort:
Embrace discomfort that is on the path to where you want to go. Avoid discomfort that isn’t useful.
Vision for your life determines the usefulness of working through discomfort, uncertainty, and awkwardness.
Ask:
- Where do I want to go as a leader?
- Are these untested skills important to my aspirations?
- How might pressing through uncertainty connect with my vision to reach the C-suite, for example?
- How would people in the position I aspire to reach, respond to this situation?
- How might this awkward experience be a stepping stone for my career?
Growth points come disguised as untested skills, awkward opportunities, and uncomfortable situations.
Grow with:
Do something that requires help.
Reject the illusion of self-sufficiency, when facing new challenges.
The person who gets the most help goes the furthest.
Tap into coaches, mentors, and the experience of colleagues. Self-sufficiency is the enemy of great achievement.
Help others grow:
Ask people to do things they haven’t done, if you want to help them grow.
What has caused you to grow as a leader?
I am curious about how you can use authenticity as a shield
Thanks Rajiv. I hear leaders say, “That’s just not me,” or, “That doesn’t feel right,” as a reason to stay the same and not try new things or stretch their capacity. I see a tension between feeling authentic and growth. Sometimes, growth makes us feel inauthentic because it’s uncomfortable.
Thanks for asking.
Okay. I understand your point now. I have heard that comment so often myself.
I would label that the “authenticity charade”..
I like “authenticity charade” It’s disappointing to me when people use it to avoid an uncomfortable situation or awkward feedback.
Dan This drives home the point that leaders must constantly challenge the status quo and not accept anything on face value. They need to keep challenging themselves and others.
Thanks P.G. Exactly. If we are going to challenge the status quo externally, we must challenge ourselves as well.
Coincidentally, I’m starting a new job today in a good leadership role with great potential for success in helping a business grow. What a great message to push me out of the gate.
I think remaining calm and having confidence in yourself, even while feeling uncomfortable is key in showing others it isn’t harmful to grow in new territory.
Thanks
D
Thanks D. Your addition of confidence and calmness when facing new challenges is powerful. For me, confidence expresses itself in openness to learning and trying new things. Your idea suggests that confidence is important to growth. Insecurity prevents growth.
Growth always feels awkward in the early stages; it’s the pits. But…. it shows your team you’re willing to walk the talk. You expect the people around you to learn and grow; it would be unwise to remain stagnant yourself. Nice work!
Thanks Stephanie. Kouzes and Posner indicate the first function of leadership is to model the way. It’s sad that many leaders give themselves exemptions to the things they expect from others.
Great post! I really enjoyed what you had to say. Very motivational! I am actually a senior in college and I can already tell over the years I have grown in leadership skills, but I know as I get ready to graduate I need to prepare for more growth opportunities.
I absolutely love this post. It’s very inspiring.
What about the speed factor.. I heard from a friend.. Fail Fast or Die Slowly…