Throughout my career, I’ve worked with countless high-performing teams. I feel fortunate to have been inspired by so many talented people willing to do whatever it took to hit every imaginable (and unimaginable) performance metric, often many at once. Impressive? Definitely. Admirable? Absolutely. Rewarded? Sometimes.

Believing We Had to Choose

Of course all this achievement mattered—to the business, the team, and to our own sense of accomplishment. But when promotion time rolled around, exceptional performance and actual advancement often seemed uncorrelated. Still, believing that ticking every box would surely unlock a spot at the next level, we focused myopically on performance. The promise was everywhere, right down to the corporate jargon. Meeting Key Performance Indicators. Performing at the next level. Demonstrating sustained performance over time.

It’s no wonder many held performance as the ultimate metric. Important? Sure. More important than growth? Never.

The Bigger Prize

Fortunately, the truth is more nuanced and (great news!) much more liberating.
A ‘yes, and‘ if you will.

Strong leaders don’t choose between performance and growth. 

We understand that performance is measurable, external, and tied to immediate outcomes—hitting targets, delivering results, meeting expectations; all essential. But growth? That’s the bigger prize.

Growth is more expansive, mysterious, even elusive. Somewhere between all the milestones and metrics, it often happens when we’re not paying attention, but rarely happens if we’re not paying attention.

Growth is about developing capacity: deepening our self-awareness, expanding our perspective, and cultivating the tools that enable real, sustained leadership over time. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can navigate increasingly complex terrain, relying on intuition and an internal compass, particularly when there’s no roadmap. 

A Trap of Our Own Making

Prioritizing growth sounds intuitive, yet so many leaders still get stuck. Despite feeling the tug toward new, unexplored territory, we sometimes resist the urge to try something new, to play bigger and truly explore, fearing we’ll lose whatever we’ve become known for. Despite all our talents and capabilities, we become trapped, creating barriers that hold us back from becoming who we’re meant to be next.

Winning Either Way

Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.” When we prioritize growth, it’s true for us too. We win either way.

Shifting from worrying “What if I fail?” to wondering “What will I gain?” opens an entire landscape of possibility. For leaders especially, this reframe is transformational. We spend so much energy ensuring others’ success, we often forget: The growth we experience by taking the leap—regardless of where we land—doesn’t only make us more effective as leaders. It makes us more authentic and accessible as humans.

In making the leap, what if we’re not losing ground at all, but actually gaining range?

What new territory is calling you? And what might be gained by expanding your range?