Guarantee You’ll Never Grow as a Leader
Maybe I’ve been living in a bubble.
I’ve spent so many years studying leadership that I assumed most leaders eventually have the same realization I did: leadership isn’t just a position — it’s a craft. And like any craft, it demands growth.
But I’m learning that not everyone sees it that way.
Some leaders don’t actually want to grow.
They would never say it out loud — but their behavior makes it obvious.
Growth is uncomfortable. It requires trying, failing, adjusting, and admitting you don’t have it all figured out. Under constant pressure for short-term results, growth can start to feel like a luxury leaders can’t afford.
So they slip into survival mode.
And survival mode is where growth goes to die.
A Case Study in Not Growing
I once worked around a leader — let’s call him Michael Scott — who openly admitted his team had serious problems.
What he would not admit was that he might be part of the problem.
Michael treated “the way I do it” like it was untouchable. He blamed personalities, competence, motivation, even one hapless employee — let’s call him Toby Flenderson — who was a poor job fit in his position. When Toby finally left, things improved slightly — but the deeper issues remained.
Michael had been successful in a previous leadership role, and that past success convinced him he didn’t need to change his approach here.
Different environment. Different people. Same methods.
And the same problems.
He never once considered that the common denominator in all of it… was him.
17 Phrases That Will Stunt Your Leadership Growth
If you truly want to make sure you never improve as a leader, start saying these:
“I’m too busy.” (Too busy for the most important part of your job?)
“I’m already an experienced leader.” (Experience ≠ proficiency.)
“I’m doing fine the way things are.” (Are your people?)
“I just need better people.” (So you can lead them poorly too?)
“I’m too old to change.” (No. You just don’t want to.)
“I’m the leader. I don’t need to change. My people just need to adapt.” (Adaptability applies to you too.)
“I’m not taking the time to read all that.” (Leaders who stop learning start declining.)
“I don’t put much stock in book learning.” (Then find another way to learn. But learn.)
“I’ll just figure things out as I go.” (Great for jazz. Terrible for leadership.)
“I already tried that and it didn’t work.” (Closing your mind won’t help.)
“A coach/course/program is too expensive.” (So is stagnation.)
“I get results. That’s all that matters.” (Short-term wins can create long-term damage.)
“Soft skills don’t matter in my industry.” (Soft skills always matter in leadership.)
“I’ll just grow naturally. I don’t need a plan.” (Growth happens on purpose.)
“I like to grow on my own. I don’t need anyone else.” (Isolation is brutal on leaders.)
“How can I learn from someone who doesn’t know my business?” (You should be learning from everyone.)
“I’ve always gotten results doing it this way.” (What if there’s an even better way?)
Final Thoughts
The real advice, of course, is to do the opposite of every one of these.
Leadership growth requires humility, curiosity, and intentionality.
It requires the willingness to ask:
“What if the problem isn’t them… but me?”
That question is uncomfortable.
And it’s exactly where growth begins.
