A few years ago, I read this marvelous article by Margaret Moore, aka Coach Meg, about how the agitations in our lives are growth edges for us to new insights and perspectives. I read this again and would like to provide some thoughts on obstacles and opportunities.
Coach Meg talks about how coaches (and I include leaders) exist to help people transcend their growth edges. I find her article quite insightful. Great leaders and coaches are regularly guiding people in their charge to agitation or even failure, and guide them to become more capable. The article really spoke to me along two of the Four Fundamental Forces of Leadership, Respect and Service
Building an ability to help get people to their growth edges and transcend them takes a few things to occur.
- Practice. Good leaders consciously work on seeing where others might be struggling and agitated, help them identify those edges and empower them to grow.
- Safety. Leaders and coaches need to establish and build a culture where rising the edges is encouraged and supported. It's one thing to say you want it, but if you criticize the mistakes that will ensue, your people will pull back and stagnate.
- Time. People deal with their agitations at different rates. This type of growth is also a long-term strategy for development. It's a constant improvement process. Solid leaders and coaches recognize it will take time for efforts to bear fruit. Honor and support the process.
One key aspect for you as a leader is to be open to your own agitations and growth edges. You need to give yourself the safety and time to grow yourself as you help others grow.
Let me know if you have examples of how you've developed and built a growth edge mindset and how you implemented it with your teams.