Sometimes growth doesn’t look like more—it looks like less.
We’re wired to chase forward motion. As leaders, we’re rewarded for acquiring knowledge, accumulating skills, and proving we’re capable. But there’s a quiet part of leadership that doesn’t get talked about enough: what we have to unlearn to keep evolving.
Letting go is hard. Especially when what you’re holding onto used to work. Maybe it still does . . . sort of. That playbook, that instinct to fix, that need to be the one in the room with the answer—it’s familiar. But as we grow into new levels of leadership, the skills and mindsets that once served us can quietly become the very things that hold us back.
I’ve lived this. I’ve had to unlearn the belief that being “in the weeds” equals being effective. I’ve had to let go of the idea that my value was tied to doing everything myself. That if I didn’t do it, it wouldn’t get done right. (Spoiler: It still gets done. Often better.)
These shifts aren’t always dramatic. Sometimes they’re subtle. But they take self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to evolve—even when it’s uncomfortable.
So what does unlearning actually look like in practice?
- It’s stepping back so others can step up. Releasing control isn’t about disappearing; it’s about making space for your team’s brilliance.
- It’s moving from answers to questions. Senior leadership isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about fostering the conditions where the best ideas can emerge—from anywhere in the room.
- It’s releasing the need to be right. You can be curious, collaborative, and open—and still be a strong, respected leader.
- It’s letting go of identity. This one’s tough. Sometimes we cling to how we’ve always seen ourselves in leadership—because we don’t know who we’ll be without it. But real growth means stepping into that unknown.
This idea was the heart of a recent episode of The CUInsight Experience with Patty Corkery, where Jill and I explored what great leaders must unlearn. It was a rich, honest conversation, and it reminded me how much wisdom there is in loosening our grip.
So I’ll ask you what I’m asking myself:
What’s one thing you’re still carrying that you no longer need?
What belief, behavior, or role is ready to be released—not because it’s wrong, but because you’ve outgrown it?
Letting go doesn’t mean losing ground. It means making room—for the next version of you, the next level of your leadership, and for the people around you to rise.
And that, to me, is how we evolve.
