How Leaders Lose Their Edge — and How to Get It Back
When was the last time you did something professionally that felt like a stretch? Looking back, did it help you grow? It’s an important question for leaders, especially in today’s ever-evolving landscape.
Maybe there was a time when innovation, agility, and adaptability were just for up-and-coming leaders. Today, however, they’re essential traits for anyone who intends to be valuable, influential, and trusted for the duration of their careers. When leaders stop stretching themselves, their value begins to decline – along with their commitment to leadership growth and development.
I’m coaching a leader now who knows this tension all too well. His story isn’t rare, but it is instructive.
Early in his career, Will* was a star! He moved quickly up the ranks with his knowledge, skill, and ability. His candor was admired and sought after, and his energy was contagious. Will added value wherever he was, and his future looked bright.
But that was then…
Five years later, Will’s reputation has changed. He’s in the same leadership role but is no longer seen as a trailblazer. Instead, he’s perceived as a roadblock to progress. He’s become known as the guy who dismisses ideas, argues against innovation, and believes his years of experience make him the wisest person in every room.
What happened? Will got comfortable. Then he became complacent.
Will falsely believed he had all the knowledge, skill, and ability he needed to remain successful in leadership. He stopped engaging in things that felt uncomfortable or stretched him, and he stopped learning.
If it wasn’t required, Will didn’t show up. In leadership learning opportunities, he kept himself distracted with email and other “work.” Will felt training and workshops were for those less experienced than him, and a waste of his time.
In his mind, Will had arrived. But his peers, and even leaders much his junior, were still moving forward. The guy who was seen as a superstar became the guy to work around, avoid, and just try to deal with – for his team, peers, and superiors.
When Will and I met, he was in a dark and bewildered place. But his leadership story was not over!
When our coaching engagement started, Will was skeptical at best. He came in feeling like everyone else needed to adjust, not him. But armed with objective information and with a bit of time, Will started experimenting with small behavioral adjustments and things began to shift.
Each “experiment” has been a stretch of sorts as Will revisits how he shows up as a leader.
As his leadership coach, it is a pure joy to see Will’s smile and hear the enthusiasm in his voice as he recounts how his peers and direct reports are responding to his shifts. It pleasantly surprises him every time he gains a new level of awareness and learns something new.
As Will stretches himself, something important is happening… He’s reconnecting to parts of leadership that are personally rewarding, and he’s remembering how great it feels to be a valued member of a team. His desire to do and be more – for himself, his direct reports, and the organization – is building, and others are responding in kind.
Why is Will’s story important to you?
A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies whose leaders embrace continuous learning and development are 4.2x more likely to outperform their peers. Unfortunately, too many leaders assume that once they’ve achieved a senior title, their learning is complete. A complacent mindset is dangerous not only for their own career trajectory, but for the health of the entire organization.
If your own stretching and growing has slowed, remember these 3 facts:
- Stakeholders are always watching. Direct reports, boards, executives, and peers all continually evaluate leaders— not just on what they’ve done historically, but on how they are showing up today.
Leaders who stagnate lose credibility, no matter how impressive their résumé once was.
- Teams crave momentum. When a leader doesn’t model growth, it’s harder for team members to grow. When direct reports aren’t increasing their knowledge, skills, and ability, their engagement drops.
When engagement drops, results, retention, and innovation wither with it.
- Organizations need agile leaders. In this world where change is constant, leaders who stay stuck in old ways are liabilities, not assets.
Relevance and ongoing value require personal evolution, rooted in leadership growth and development.
Three Tips to Increase Your Leadership Value This Week:
- Invite Someone to Challenge Your Thinking
Set a meeting with someone who sees your leadership up close and ask, “What is one way that I’m getting in my own way?” Then be quiet, listen with learning in mind, discuss ways to shift, and thank them for their willingness to share with you.
Leaders who seek different opinions and perspectives grow faster than those who avoid them.
- Step into a room where you’re not “the Expert”
Join a group, a project, or even just a conversation that’s outside your normal lane.
Your curiosity, not your credentials, will grow your influence.
- Make a decision that feels brave
Identify something you’ve been procrastinating on, make the decision, and move on it.
Progress requires courage, and there’s always learning in a courageous move.
The Wrap: Leadership Growth in the Key to Ongoing Value
Stretching and continuing to grow in your leadership doesn’t mean abandoning the skills that got you where you are. It means holding yourself accountable for avoiding complacency and proactively ensuring your organizational value stays high. Don’t be the leader whose time has come to step aside. Be the one that the organization can’t get enough of through ongoing leadership growth and development.
Time for you to evolve a bit? Reach out today to learn about our coaching programs for leadership growth and development.
