A business will not outgrow the psychology of its leader.

“It’s impossible to grow this company in this market,” a CEO of a $50M company said.

He was wrong. I had three other clients, all in the same industry, two in the same market, that had doubled and were preparing to triple in size.

The problem wasn’t the possibility of growth. It was the perspective of the leader. Until that changes, he will only see obstacles. Not potential.

It is very easy for leaders to blame other things: It’s the economy, it’s the labor pool, it’s the industry, etc.

Those all might be real. But the most common and likely limiter of growth is the leader.

If a leader’s perspective doesn’t grow, the organization won’t either. Perspective is what opens, or closes, the door to growth.

Three horizons we need to expand if we want growth

Vision is a common leadership topic. The ability to inspire a shared vision is one of the most distinguishing marks of a leader. But being able to imagine a new future isn’t the same as being able to build it.

Many leaders talk about their vision. Very few build it.

The ones who do tend to see differently. Specifically, in these three areas:

How I see myself: Successful leaders carry a few core beliefs¹:

• I have been successful: I have a history of success. I remind myself of that.
• I can succeed: I believe my actions and choices matter. I can have a positive influence.
• I will succeed: I am optimistic and believe success is likely.
• I choose to succeed: I believe success is intentional. It’s the result of my choices.

This creates confidence.

I once asked a friend of mine, a builder, how he knew how to build or repair so many things. Especially, how did he feel confident to take on projects for work he had never done before?

“I believe I can figure it out,” he answered.

That’s it. He’s figured things out before, so he knows he can do it again. Because he can, he believes he will. And so that’s what he chooses.

That confidence, and a willingness to own results, is what allows leaders to take risks and achieve great outcomes.

How I see others: Leadership only exists in relationship. Effective leaders believe two things about others:

• They have value
• They have potential

Strong leaders see people as assets. Not problems.

Strong leaders focus on helping people grow because they see it as investing. They anticipate a return on their investment.

Leaders who are held back don’t believe in their people. Because they see employees as necessary risks that have to be tolerated. Or challenges to be avoided.

As a result, their people aren’t given more authority and opportunities to carry the company. Or they are, but it’s haphazard. Not supported with clarity and accountability. Because that feels like confrontation.

How I see life: Successful leaders consistently interpret reality differently. They recognize that both threats and opportunities are real. Both need to be addressed.

Leaders who see opportunity move towards growth. They frame challenges as opportunities that drive growth.

Leaders who see threat organize their lives around protection. They view challenges as evidence of a “wrong path.”

How do you grow?
If you are the bottleneck, and many leaders are, there are simple steps you can take to change:

1. Stop normalizing “stuck.” If the people you spend your time with blame circumstances, that becomes your baseline. Limit your exposure to them.

2. Surround yourself in stories of leaders who believed in themselves, took action, and achieved results. Allow yourself to be influenced by biographies, documentaries and even fictional stories that illustrate this kind of leadership.

3. Surround yourself with leaders, in real life, who have achieved the kind of growth you seek. Spend time with them regularly. You’ll discover that they talk about different things, respond to challenges differently, view options differently. You’ll see that they see differently. It’s really true.

4. Engage someone, a coach or mentor, who knows how to challenge limiting beliefs and behaviors that hold you back.

If your business has stalled, it’s worth getting honest about where the constraint is.

What’s holding you back? What is it worth to let it go?

If you see this in yourself and want to change it—reach out.

Take good care,

Christian

P.S. I unpack this more in Train to Lead—including what it actually takes to expand your leadership ceiling.