Becoming a Better Leader Starts with Growth Goals

"Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not." ~ John Maxwell

Great leaders don’t happen by accident. They grow intentionally.

Yet, many leaders approach coaching or development with vague aspirations such as: “I want to be a better leader” or “I want to build a more cohesive team.” While well-intentioned, these statements lack the clarity necessary for meaningful progress. That’s where growth goals come in.

Unlike operational or performance goals—which focus on achieving specific outcomes, like meeting quarterly targets or launching a new product—growth goals focus on who you are becoming as a leader. Growth goals are personal and developmental. They are designed to sharpen the mindset, skills, and habits that enable long-term success.

Why Growth Goals Are Essential for Leaders

Leadership isn’t static. Your ability to lead depends on your willingness to grow and adapt. Growth goals:

1. Bridge Aspiration and Action: If you’ve ever felt stuck between wanting to grow as a leader and not knowing where to start, growth goals provide the pathway forward.
2. Encourage Self-Awareness: Growth goals require self-reflection to identify strengths and areas for improvement—a skill many leaders struggle with.
3. Foster Personal and Professional Impact: According to a 2023 Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning study, 46% of organizations aim to improve employee engagement and productivity through leadership development programs. Growth goals improve your leadership skills and confidence, which has a direct impact on the morale and collaboration within your team.
4. Build Long-Term Resilience: Unlike short-term performance goals, growth goals help leaders develop the mindsets, habits, and skills necessary to navigate future challenges with confidence and adaptability.

Types of Leadership Growth Goals

When designing growth goals, leaders often need help identifying specific mindsets, skills, or habits to target. Here are examples of growth goals that focus on key leadership areas. To make these actionable, consider how they align with your strengths and areas for improvement:

1. Improving Communication

Generic Goal: “I want to be a better communicator.”

Growth Goal: “By the end of the next quarter, I will improve my communication by asking open-ended questions in every 1:1 meeting and summarizing key points to ensure understanding. I will track my progress by noting how often team members provide deeper insights or feedback. 

2. Building Team Cohesion

Generic Goal: “I want to build a cohesive team.”

Growth Goal: “Over the next six months, I will foster team cohesion by facilitating monthly discussions on team values and strengths, using feedback from each session to adjust how we collaborate.

3. Enhancing Delegation Skills

Generic Goal: “I need to delegate more effectively.”

Growth Goal: “Within the next 90 days, I will identify three tasks I currently handle that could be delegated. I will assign these tasks to team members, providing clear instructions and follow-up feedback. I will evaluate success based on task completion and team feedback.”

4. Practicing Emotional Intelligence

Generic Goal: “I want to understand my team better.”

Growth Goal: “For the next three months, I will spend five minutes at the end of each day reflecting on my interactions, focusing on how I responded to emotional cues from team members. I will document patterns and adjust my approach as needed.”

5. Overcoming Procrastination

Generic Goal: “I need to manage my time better.”

Growth Goal: “For the next 30 days, I will start each morning by prioritizing my tasks and completing the most critical one before 10:00 AM. I will review my progress weekly to identify trends or obstacles.”

Designing Growth Goals That Work

Effective growth goals require specificity and self-reflection. Here are three steps to help leaders design actionable growth goals:

1. Self-Assess: Reflect on areas of strength and improvement. Ask questions like, “What mindset, skill, or habit would have the most impact on my leadership if I developed it?”

Example: A leader struggling with procrastination might notice a pattern of delayed decision-making that impacts team productivity.

2. Focus on Behaviors, Not Outcomes: Identify actions you can take to improve. Focus on what you’ll do, not just what you hope to achieve.

Example: Instead of “I want to be more confident,” set a goal like “I will practice presenting in team meetings weekly and seek feedback on delivery style.”

3. Use the SMARTER Framework: Ensure goals are Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky (challenging), Time-bound, Exciting, and Relevant. The SMARTER framework, popularized by Michael Hyatt, encourages leaders to set goals that push beyond their comfort zones while staying motivated and aligned with their values.

Leveraging Growth Goals to Become a Better Leader

Growth goals give leaders a clear path to transform their ambitions into actionable steps that drive measurable progress. For example, participants in Workplace Matters' The 6 Conversations That Matter leadership development program learn how to foster trust, engage in meaningful dialogue, and strengthen team dynamics. By setting a goal like, “I will initiate weekly coaching conversations with each direct report within two months,” leaders can practice turning aspirations into actionable results, fostering meaningful change.

Ready to Set Your Growth Goals?

Your leadership journey starts today. Growth goals are not just about achieving results; they are about transforming how you lead and how others experience your leadership. They align your aspirations with deliberate, actionable progress.

As a coach, I’m here to support your growth. Together, we can refine your self-assessment, uncover areas of opportunity, and design goals tailored to your leadership journey. Take the first step today and bridge the gap from the leader you currently are to the confident leader you aspire to be. What’s one growth goal you can set today to begin transforming your leadership?