Strategic Growth for Leaders: 10 Success Keys to Elevate You to the Next Level

Introduction

Henry Ford had the right idea when he said, If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. As a leader in your field, you’ll identify with this notion. Undoubtedly, you have established approaches for putting teamwork into action.

But what is the measure of success?

Whether you’re looking at starting a new business, achieving departmental goals, creating economic or environmental sustainability, or aiming for positive societal impact, success is quantified by growth. By more. Depending upon who you ask, more could relate to money, assets, staff, influence, products or services, or something else altogether. Growth, or attaining more—however you define it—is the subject of this second volume in Indigo River Publishing’s For Leaders series.

As new technologies expand and converge, we are witnessing industry, connectivity, and innovation advance at accelerating rates. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) raises questions about the future of human agency. Add to that, the scale of global tension environmentally, economically, and politically—never mind residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—are upending the world as we know it. No matter how worthy the product or service you offer, approaching growth strategically is essential to keeping pace with change and extending your reach.

Consider Strategic Growth for Leaders to be an important tool to help navigate this new era. The contents explore methods of approaching change through deeper self-awareness; more finely-tuned business practices; building solid, authentic relationships with employees and clientele; and knowing when enough is enough.

Global growth is trending downward. According to Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President:

Without a major course correction, the 2020s will go down as a decade of wasted opportunity…Near-term growth will remain weak, leaving many developing countries—especially the poorest—stuck in a trap with paralyzing levels of debt and tenuous access to food for nearly one out of every three people. That would obstruct progress on many global priorities. Opportunities still exist to turn the tide. This report offers a clear way forward: it spells out the transformation that can be achieved if governments act now to accelerate investment and strengthen fiscal policy frameworks.¹

In Gills’s eyes, strong policy and financial frameworks initiated by governments open doors for growth and progress. While high-level policies are critical, individual leaders have the potential to create their own transformations, not only through financial considerations, but also through careful strategies and a sharper focus on other, more intrinsic aspects of themselves and their businesses.

Ayhan Kose, the World Bank’s Deputy Chief to Indermit Gill and also the Director of the Prospects Group, points toward monetary policy and frameworks too. However, he also notes the importance of strengthening the quality of institutions.²

Quantifying quality presents a challenge because it means different things to different people. Let’s consider it in terms of human dignity, human welfare, and social justice. Progress for humankind. Simon Sinek addresses these concerns in his book, The Infinite Game. He contrasts the typical approach to business as a finite game resulting in winners and losers with the more altruistic notion of an infinite game bestowing benefit to all parties.³ A finite game focuses on what can be won in the short term and thus creates aggressive competition. (Think quarterly results, which may prompt corner-cutting and disregard for social impacts in pursuit of growth.) In a finite game, trust and cooperation are replaced by fear.

On the other hand, an infinite game has longer-term objectives that may extend far beyond an individual’s lifetime. (Consider the Indigenous perspective of seven generations; making decisions based upon future impacts.)⁴ Playing an infinite game considers the well-being of everyone involved, from employees to customers, and even the environment. It draws upon strategies for vertical growth or increased impact rather than horizontal growth or multiplication of existing production or service capabilities, which often proves more costly.

The good news is vertical growth is powerful. In The Infinite Game, Sinek notes we achieve more by chasing dreams with a larger vision—that is, by playing the infinite game—than by racing against our competitors. Ultimately, playing the infinite game not only ensures a higher-quality institution, happier employees with a higher retention rate, and lasting client relationships, but results in greater financial gains.

Shifting toward the infinite game makes sense. Consumers are looking for businesses who take creating a positive impact seriously. In an article published in late 2023, Forbes reports that Socially responsible spending by consumers is going through the roof.⁵ The article provides a few numbers to back up that statement. Of those surveyed:

•71% felt it was important to support socially responsible brands.

•66% said they had bought such products and services over the past year.

•42% reported plans to spend more with socially responsible companies in 2024.

Strategic Growth for Leaders shares insights from successful leaders about understanding yourself, what you want to achieve, and ultimately, how to determine effective growth strategies for your business. Ten chapters, ten keys to success.

But there’s more.

As we pulled this volume together, generative AI exploded on the scene with numerous apps and possibilities—everything from improved meeting note summation to writing copy and producing digital art—including photos representing real individuals in conjured situations. What does this mean for the future of creators? Of workers in general? Of honesty in media?

With reception ranging between excitement and fear, we thought it might be worth exploring what AI means for leaders and how one might determine effective use within their context for growth. We’re happy to offer a bonus chapter demystifying this technology—which isn’t as new as everyone seems to think it is.

According to bonus chapter contributor, River Jack, AI and humans are like teenagers. We’ve been around long enough to know something, but not everything, and we can’t predict the implications of our behavior. Teenagers, despite their unwavering sureness, and because of their developing pre-frontal cortex, can’t comprehend what long-term consequences truly mean.

May Strategic Growth for Leaders prompt reflection, spark dreams, and provide inspiration for personal and corporate growth.

Deborah Froese

Executive Editor

Indigo River Publishing

March 7, 2024

1 Global Economy Set for Weakest Half-Decade Performance in 30 Years, The World Bank, press release, January 9, 2024, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/01/09/global-economic-prospects-january-2024-press-release#:~:text=Global%20growth%20is%20projected%20to,average%20of%20the%20previous%20decade.

2 Ibid.

3 Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game (New York: Portfolio/Penguin), 2019.

4 What is the Seventh Generation Principle? Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc., May 30, 2020, https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/seventh-generation-principle.

5 Amy Field, Conscious Consumer Spending Could Be at A Tipping Point, Forbes, November 30, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2023/11/30/conscious-consumer-spending-could-be-at-a-tipping-point/?sh=59f1621621ad.

Chapter 1

Five Steps for Growth-Minded Leadership

Kelly E. Babcock

Attorney, Management Consultant, Educator, Entrepreneur,

and Hemp Enthusiast/Cultivator

If you want to grow as a leader so that you can guide your team well, get ready to face new challenges. You may feel conflicted, unsure, or fearful and unworthy at times—yes, even as a leader. Change triggers deeply held limiting beliefs acquired through childhood or previous experiences and significantly impacts your ability to move forward. Moving past those challenges requires a leap of faith—faith in your plan, your partners, and your investors—but mostly, faith in yourself. To equip yourself to meet your leadership goals you’ll need to cope with your limiting beliefs, accept who you are, and know who you want to become.

It’s not easy, but it can be done. I’m living proof.

As a young person, I was a curious dreamer and an avid learner. Like many Gen Xers, I dreamed of going to college, scoring a good job, and saving for retirement. I did that. By the time I reached 30, I was a law school graduate and married with two kids, a house, and a dog. Gradually, and almost imperceptibly, I slid into survival mode on a double-income, double-kid household wheel of life. The hustle and bustle of daily routines became a numbing cycle. Options and opportunities that would have once energized my soul began to seem more like unrealistic dreams and missed chances.

I was stuck in survival mode.

Looking back, I see immobility had nothing to do with my situation, but it had everything to do with my mindset. I had accepted the idea that there wasn’t enough time or money to dream, and therefore, my current state was my reality.

The human mind possesses an incredible ability to either limit or liberate an individual’s potential. Many of my own limiting beliefs begin with the statement, I can’t, and probably originated in childhood. Growing up in rural Ohio, my ten-year-old-self viewed achieving a certain income level as evidence of success, so that’s what my adult-self pursued. Since this was all done on the subconscious level and based on my core belief rather than an intentionally set goal, whenever I looked at opportunities exceeding that income level, my inner voice whispered, You can’t do that.

The idea of a growth mindset was popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck through her research into motivation and mindset and her best-selling book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.⁶ A growth mindset refers to the belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through dedication, effort, and continuous learning.

My own journey from desperation to freedom was not direct. It began with traditional therapy that probably saved my life but did nothing to let me feel as though I had any control over my destiny. The prospect of lifelong medication, mental health labels, and three-to-five Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week were all reminders that, according to our healthcare system, I would never be normal. After exhausting the few services my insurance covered, I felt compelled to seek a better way—and I found it.

Dan Harris’s 2014 bestseller, 10% Happier,⁷ and other quality books like the one you are reading now, podcasts, and free online courses led the way. As I navigated feelings of unworthiness, self-doubt, and fear, I came to realize that my mind created the uneasiness I felt and the way I viewed the world. Exploring the science of the mind and how thoughts and feelings create behavior reignited my innate curiosity. Luckily, I found mentors who helped me look at my thoughts objectively and retrain my brain.

All these supports helped remove the imaginary limitations I had put in place over the years to support an illusion of safety, the ideas that kept me playing small. How could I grow or dream or lead a team that way? As I began to evaluate my core beliefs, I recognized where childhood experiences related to money, time, relationships, and spirituality had created limiting beliefs, and that kick-started a mental transformation, which allowed me to grow personally and professionally. I could finally open myself to new experiences and opportunities.

If you want to grow, your mind has to be in the right place. With some dedication and effort, you can achieve a growth mindset through five steps: Intention, Confidence, Action, Influence, and Impact.

Step 1: Intention

What do you want to do? What do you want to achieve? Establishing your intention is the first step toward achieving a growth mindset. Clarity of purpose provides direction and motivation. Keeping your intention at the forefront of all your activities keeps them on track.

Setting an intention that you truly believe in, one you can encourage your team to support too, involves identifying specific goals, dreams, or aspirations, and shaping a plan to achieve them. It takes a lot of self-reflection and soul-searching. This is also a continuous process. If you’re uncertain about what you want to do, setting an intention can be scary. Fear tends to prompt procrastination or indecision. So, shove those worries aside and focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. Begin by paying attention to your patterns of thinking. If your plans depend upon avoiding certain outcomes, look for the limiting beliefs fencing you in.

If you are starting a new business or seeking growth in an existing one, now is the time to objectively evaluate your core beliefs and values. What do you believe about life and limitations? What do you most value? Identify any areas where you question your self-worth or abilities and acknowledge areas where you have already achieved your goals to remind yourself what you’re capable of.

Challenge and dismantle those limiting beliefs. Ask yourself why? a lot. Remember, nothing is impossible unless you tell yourself it is. Through introspection and self-awareness, identify the deep-rooted beliefs that create resistance or obstacles to your growth.

A big hurdle for many people is money. Where I grew up, it wasn’t uncommon to distrust people with a lot of money. What is your relationship with or attitude toward money and your own value in the marketplace? Deep down, do you think you have to be ruthless to be rich, or that only winners are wealthy?

Any hidden limiting beliefs that conflict with your intention will stop you cold. Even if one part of you knows you have the potential to achieve your goals, the persistent negative self-talk of misaligned core beliefs creates self-doubt. When external achievements exceed your sense of worthiness, you may downplay your contribution to success by claiming you were just lucky or in the right place at the right time.

If you’re not consciously aware of any internal dis-ease, conflict can spark a search for what’s missing in life—the next big thing, the next job, the next city. Inner conflict can even cause self-sabotage, keeping you stuck in scarcity thinking (a belief that resources are