I’ve been thinking about the role that leaders play as the narrator of their own story and success. And whether you are an executive in an organization or mapping the design of your own next steps in life, how the story you tell every day of your vision, plans, setbacks, and progress will impact what happens next.

Let’s suppose your story is that you run a small business that’s done well because you have a knack for providing the service or the skill to build a certain type of product. And you like doing it because you’re good at solving the day-to-day problems required.

Over time, the business builds through your diligence, creativity, and a growing book of satisfied customers. The growth is exciting, but some days it’s super challenging because the business is becoming more complex. And you notice that everyone is still coming to you for the answers.

If the story you hear yourself telling is that you are still the No. 1 problem solver and your team isn’t keeping up with you, you’re likely to see more of the same as time goes on—and you’ll become a limiting factor in future growth.

If your story shifts, however, and becomes about how you can support team members to make their own decisions, celebrating their successes and turning setbacks into learning opportunities, the dynamics of the business will change because everyone—your team, your customers, and yourself—become part of the new narrative.

In my own story about being a leadership coach, for a long time I have described how rewarding it is to partner with someone as a coach and help them develop personally and professionally. But I have occasionally had to admit that I also felt I was on a plateau in my own development. 

Then in 2023, it was time to renew my Professional Coach Certification, so I took several one-hour online courses, which gave me a taste of the energy that continuing education often provides. That led me to sign up for a much deeper dive to refresh and re-energize my skills in a three-month coaching workshop series and a week-long intensive course. 

I learned new concepts and distinctions, sharpened under-utilized skills, and spent time learning from other coaches. Even more significant was finding my “growing edges” as a coach, for example, practicing ways to listen more actively and ask bolder questions. But there was more to it than polishing my skills. When I went back to work after finishing the courses, in each coaching session there was a bit of magic in my client’s answers to my questions; it was like they were teaching me, refining my understanding of both leadership and of coaching.

“Be relentlessly positive,” one said, putting an urgent twist on simple positivity.

“Be more self aware of what others need—and what I need for myself,” said another, highlighting the 360-degree importance of self awareness. 

“Show up as a leader, not the chief of all logistics,” said a third, determined to move beyond merely managing.

Each of these leaders is looking at the pathway ahead and discovering what will bend the arc of their narrative toward the future they aim to create. And as I hear them practicing this vital leadership skill, it’s my privilege to learn with them.

Happy new year!