The Truth About Growth Opportunities
Life requires growth. If you aren’t growing, you’re dying.
Growth opportunities show up when:
- New skills are needed.
- Success feels uncertain.
- Situations feel awkward.
Lack and uncertainty are growth opportunities. Pulling back means no growth. Push through. Your dreams require growth.
4 Enemies of Growth:
- Hiding behind authenticity. It feels awkward when you stretch yourself. Just like new shoes feel tight, give your authentic self time to expand.
- Clinging to established practices.
- Pretending to know.
- Fear of screwing up.
Avoiding discomfort is tempting, but it stunts growth.
How to Maximize Growth Opportunities:
Some discomfort isn’t worth it. Avoid discomfort when you don’t intend to change. Don’t stretch relationship building skills if you intend to live a solitary life.
Vision gives value to the struggle. Stretch in ways that fulfill your vision.
- Where do I want to go as a leader?
- Does learning a new skill contribute to reaching your aspirations? For example, how does pressing through uncertainty align with your vision to reach the C-suite?
- How would people in the position you aspire to reach, respond to this situation?
- How might this awkward experience be a steppingstone for your career?
Find a reason to sweat.
Growth opportunities come disguised as untested skills, awkward opportunities, and uncomfortable situations.
Grow with:
The person who gets the most help goes the furthest. Do something that requires help.
Reject the illusion of self-sufficiency when facing discomforting challenges.
Tap into coaches, mentors, and colleagues with experience.
Self-sufficiency is the enemy of great achievement.
Tips for leaders:
- Encourage people to do things they haven’t done before.
- Provide a safety net when people face new challenges. Be available, but don’t rush to help.
What has caused you to grow as a leader?
Still curious:
Cultivating Greatness: Your Personal Growth Manifesto
7 Simple Steps that Accelerate Growth
Absolutely, seek guidance from coaches, mentors, and experienced colleagues. But don’t overlook the value of self-coaching. Take time to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t.
In tennis, for example, I often experience growth after hitting a great shot and realizing, Ah, that’s how I need to execute it next time. This kind of growth happens after the event, driven by thoughtful reflection.
True growth often arises from a shift in both your mindset and your actions.
Thanks for bringing self-reflection to this post. It’s the beginning of learning and growth. A person who can’t see themself won’t grow. One of the obvious illustrations is AA. Growth begins after we say, “I am an alcoholic.”
Love the questions. What’s working? What’s frustrating? What’s important to me?
In my thirties I was promoted to a group manager, because I was fortunate enough to be a high performer in my work. My boss/mentor sat me down and instructed me saying “your job changes today, you have been very effective as an individual depending on your own skills, now your job is to build a team from diverse skills (and people) while you are building individuals within the team who do their job as well, or better than the job you’ve come from… you’ll need new skills to do this effectively.”
I stopped looking through the lens of markets and sales and started thinking “builder.” The growth it required, was challenging, it made all the difference.
Wow, Ken. You were very fortunate. I can’t tell you how many people are promoted and not mentored. It’s sad. Good people burn out. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s useful and encouraging.
Great post with excellent thought-provoking questions for all leaders!
Great seeing you today, Philip. Thanks for the good word. Button up. Winter is coming. Looks like we might get snow Friday. 🙂
Dan for me to grow, as a leader and as an individual, it was a failure in my personal life that taught me humility and to more considerate of others. Before that everything in life had come very easily for me. Brad
Good morning, Brad. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of your story. It’s powerful when we learn from failure and tragic when we don’t. Repetition is the result of not learning from experience. Cheers
Too many people are afraid to fail, even in private. It could be due to upbringing, the organizational culture where they work, etc. etc. etc. That fear holds them back, preventing them from growing. As leaders and mentors, we need to encourage people to fail, both by giving them a safe space to do so and by telling stories of our own failures.
Powerful suggestions, Jennifer. Vulnerability on the part of leaders will encourage some to dare to try stuff. Cheers