On Plateaus, Progress, and the Path of Growth

At the very beginning of my dietetic internship, we were shown a graph representing our expected learning “curve.”

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It wasn’t actually a curve at all. It was a series of steep diagonal lines, followed by plateaus.

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They wanted us to understand and embrace that we would be learning in phases. Each phase would include learning at a fast pace, followed by a pause to ensure that we had time to process, integrate, and practice that level of understanding before moving onto the next one.

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I hadn’t thought about that graph in years. But just recently, it popped into my mind when a leader told me he feels like he is at a “2” as a leader because of a challenge he is currently facing.

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This leader has done some incredible things with his organization: turned the finances around, restructured and realigned his senior team, revamped Board relations, and more.

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But now he’s facing a new challenge that’s got him feeling like he’s back at square one.

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As it turns out, the learning curve that I was taught at the very beginning of my career doesn't only apply to beginners. It's just as relevant 20 years later, and can be applied to any area where we have room to grow - especially in our leadership.

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Leading is super complex - you’re managing people, processes, strategy, finances, external relationships, internal team dynamics… the list goes on and on.

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You can’t master it all at once.

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Different things will push you and demand more of your time and attention at different times, but once you get one piece running smoothly, another challenge will invite you to grow again.

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So, if you’re in a season that’s feeling particularly tough. Or you wish you were (or think you should be) farther ahead in some area of your work, this is your friendly reminder:

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You’re probably not failing or falling behind, you’re probably just hitting a new learning edge.

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And that’s only possible because of the progress you’ve already made.

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I don’t want to dismiss the discomfort, the disappointment, or whatever feelings come up inside this reality.

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I’m feeling it myself as I work to figure out some of the next steps for me and my business.

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But I’m reminding myself, and now you, to sit with the feelings, process them, and understand them as part of the journey when we’re at the beginning of a new phase.