One Leadership Skill To Power Unstoppable Career Growth
What if the key to faster career growth, deeper fulfillment, and greater confidence isn't about doing more, but thinking differently?
The Trap of Being Right
In corporate life, success often gets confused with perfection. We're taught to avoid mistakes, seek approval, and play it safe. But the truth is, that mindset—however well-intentioned—limits growth. Leaders who cling to being right tend to miss opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and real influence. They manage their image instead of mastering their impact.
This mindset doesn’t just hold back business results, it diminishes personal fulfillment. When we prioritize appearances over progress, we become reactive, defensive, and overworked. Our calendars fill, our energy drains, and our careers plateau—not because we aren’t capable, but because we aren’t growing.
Breaking Old Habits: A Client’s Turning Point
One client came to me wanting to pursue something personally meaningful. But like so many high-achievers, his schedule was maxed out. We discussed the only three places he could find time: work, family, or personal time. Since his personal time was already nonexistent and he refused to take more from his family, the choice was clear: carve time out of work.
He started by reclaiming just two hours a week. Over time, that grew to five hours. But here’s the twist. His professional impact didn’t decline. It increased. With space to recharge and reconnect with what mattered, his focus sharpened, his energy returned, and his results improved. That’s when I began to see the pattern I now call the Success Trifecta: more success, more control of your time, and more joy in the process.
What made this possible? One simple shift: a willingness to try something new and risk being imperfect.
From Fixed Mindset to Growth Mindset
True leadership growth starts with mindset. Leaders with a fixed mindset are committed to being right. Leaders with a growth mindset are committed to learning.
In practical terms, that means being open to feedback, even when it stings. It means experimenting with new ways of working, even if they don’t succeed right away. It means showing up with curiosity instead of certainty.
Jeff Bezos once delivered a sharp rebuke to a team member—not because of a mistake, but because the team member withheld information during a decision-making process. Bezos reframed the situation from blame to learning, reinforcing that growth isn’t about being flawless; it’s about being fully engaged and accountable.
Three Common Leadership Pitfalls
If you're committed to growing as a leader, watch out for these traps:
Avoiding Feedback – Many people resist feedback out of fear it confirms their inadequacies. But feedback, when embraced with humility, becomes a superpower for growth.
Waiting for Permission – Leadership is not a title. It’s a mindset. Don’t wait to be told to step up. Start now. Book the meeting, ask the question, offer the idea.
Getting Defensive – When challenged, our instinct is to protect our ego. But true executive presence shines when we stay calm, open, and forward-looking in the face of critique.
Three Tools to Practice Growth Now
Courage doesn’t require dramatic leaps. It shows up in the small, consistent choices we make each day. Try these practical tools to shift from being right to growing forward:
Ask for Advice, Not Feedback – Instead of asking “How did I do?”, try “What could I do differently next time to be more effective?” It opens up constructive, forward-looking insight.
Reflect Weekly – Spend five minutes each week reviewing your actions and planning how you’ll improve. It’s simple, powerful, and keeps you aligned with your goals.
Observe One Level Up – Watch how leaders one level above you operate. What do they focus on? How do they make decisions? Then emulate those behaviors in small ways to begin growing into that level of leadership.
Grow Beyond the Job Description
Your growth is the gateway to greater income, fulfillment, and purpose. As you become more capable, confident, and curious, you naturally take on more responsibility, and greater impact follows. In corporate life, income mirrors impact. And impact expands when you’re willing to learn, risk, and evolve.
Ultimately, leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being the most open: the one most willing to grow, shift, and lead from authenticity. That’s where your true essence as a leader lives.
Ready to grow?
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