3 Leadership Mindsets to Ditch Before Your Next Growth Phase
Growth is exciting — but it also asks more of us as leaders. Not just in terms of strategy or decision-making, but in the way we think. Because the truth is, the mindset that got you here may not be the one that gets you there.
At Coherence, we work with leaders on the cusp of transformation — teams scaling, cultures shifting, new levels of complexity unfolding. And again and again, we see the same pattern: progress gets delayed not by a lack of resources, but by leaders clinging to outdated mental models. So if you’re preparing for your next chapter of growth, here are three common leadership mindsets to let go of — and what to replace them with.
1. “I Need to Have All the Answers.”
This one is hard to shake, especially for high-performing, hands-on founders and executives. Early on, being the go-to problem-solver feels necessary — even admirable. But as your team expands and your business becomes more complex, that mindset turns into a bottleneck. You start unintentionally disempowering others. Decision-making slows. Innovation flattens. And your team learns to wait for your input instead of trusting their own. The shift here is subtle but transformative: move from answer-giving to question-asking. Create space for others to think, test, and contribute. You don’t have to know everything — you just need to create the environment where the best thinking can emerge.
2. “Speed Equals Success.”
In a growth environment, moving fast can feel like a badge of honor. And yes — agility matters. But when speed becomes the only metric, it often comes at the cost of clarity, sustainability, and thoughtful leadership. Leaders caught in the speed trap tend to skip alignment conversations, rush decisions, and burn out themselves (and their teams) in the process. You may win in the short term — but it’s rarely the kind of growth that lasts. Instead, focus on strategic pacing. Know when to sprint and when to pause. Make room for deeper listening, smarter prioritization, and intentional resets. Sustainable growth isn’t about going faster — it’s about going farther without falling apart.
3. “If It’s Not Perfect, It’s Not Ready.”
This mindset hides behind high standards. It sounds like excellence — but in reality, it often masks fear. Fear of failure, of judgment, of letting others down. And while it’s true that quality matters, perfectionism can stall momentum and keep your best ideas stuck in the draft stage. When you hold your work (or your people) to an impossible standard, you delay learning. You create a culture where trying and iterating feels unsafe. And worst of all, you limit your own growth as a leader. The fix? Trade perfection for progress. Get things out faster. Share ideas before they’re fully polished. Model vulnerability by naming when you’re still figuring it out. Progress creates movement — and movement creates clarity.
The Bottom Line
Leadership isn’t just about learning new skills — it’s about unlearning old assumptions. As you grow into your next season, take stock of the mental models you’re carrying with you. Are they expanding your leadership capacity? Or quietly constraining it? Letting go doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It means making space for the kind of leader you’re becoming next.