Ever wonder why good leaders sometimes stumble?
I learned firsthand how the very qualities that bring us success can also lead to our undoing.
Imagine this: a younger version of me, full of ambition and confidence, channeling a young Steve McQueen, roaring out of Michigan across the country on my motorcycle. When I finally hit the Pacific Coast Highway, it felt like absolute bliss—the sun, the ocean breeze, and endless road ahead. It was the adventure of a lifetime—until reality intervened harshly.
Two thousand miles from anyone I knew, I suddenly faced a stark reality: I was completely out of cash, and my motorcycle had broken down. Camping on the side of the road, broke, stranded, and alone, despair washed over me like waves crashing on the shore.
Then, like a guardian angel in a pickup truck, a woman stopped, offering to drive me into Carmel and help me get back on my feet.
My response? “Thanks anyway, I’m fine! Really, I’ve got this!” My internal dialogue was shouting, “I’m independent, resilient, and self-reliant—I don’t need help!”
But here’s the catch: my superhero cape was woven from denial. My fierce independence had propelled me far in life, but in that moment, it became my greatest obstacle. My comfort zone blinded me from recognizing when I genuinely needed help, sabotaging any possibility of rescue.
This scenario parallels a common trap many leaders fall into. Under pressure, they cling even tighter to familiar strategies, pushing harder but repeating old patterns. They become like hamsters spinning faster and faster on a wheel, convinced sheer effort will transport them to success.
But here’s the truth: what got you to your current level won’t necessarily propel you to the next one.
If you truly want your organization to thrive, you must be willing to evolve. Your business grows when you grow. There’s simply no shortcut around it.