The Cycle of Growth
This article is for you, your direct reports, your sister, your brother, your peers, your daughters, your sons, and yes, even your manager. Basically, anyone who is on a path where they want to grow. Growth seems simple. It is clearly not if you have gone through any rough challenges (if you know, you know). As a manager of direct reports, leading teams, and my own journey, I have learned a lot. From witnessing others’ growths and taking on that journey myself, I have come to document that there is a consistent (yet brutal) path that everyone must go through in order to grow. After one late night talking with my husband about mentoring individuals it became so clear to me that there is a never-ending reocurring cycle that one goes through during their career — also one’s life.
This cycle is not tied to any timeline or a task that you consider big or small. All of these steps are sequential. This should resonate with everyone who has gone through a growth spurt, or if you are currently in one and you might want to know the process that goes behind it and where you are headed next. Now these steps may seem straightforward and they are, this is just to outline the process that one may find themselves in more often than not.
The 9 Phases of Growth
Phase 1: Try
To try is one of the hardest phases but not the hardest. It is taking that leap, that risk, that opportunity, and doing something about it. Simply. Take. Action. This could be as simple as a new task for the day, or as heart-leaping as taking on a new role for the first time. To try is to potentially fail. Which we will get to next. But if you or your direct report wants to grow, this is the very first step. Sounds simple, right?
Phase 2: Fail
To fail is the most important phase. Failing is inevitable. You will fail. I repeat you will fail, at some time or another. Even multiple times in a row. Now I don’t always mean to the extent of getting fired, but even something as simple as not covering all of your topics in a presentation that you wanted to, or not making a deadline that you set for yourself. Failing has to happen, and yes, it is very uncomfortable. I challenge you to encourage individuals who want to grow to take this leap, and they may fail, but that is a good thing. It has to happen because failure causes humbleness. Humbleness is the secret key I have come to realize in managing people and teams authentically. Humbleness is the openness of learning and putting aside one’s ego and confidence. It is a hard habit to break but will forever change and challenge your perspective in life.
Phase 3: Learn
Learning is that first breath back. It is now time to retrospectively look backward and really sit down with yourself, or others and determines what could have gone better. Ask yourself these questions: What went wrong? What would you have done instead? Would it be to prepare more for that meeting? Or talk to that individual more often and check in when they perhaps weren’t doing well? Also, reflect on what went well? It is important to cherish and validate your own growth here. Be your own cheerleader at this moment. Whatever answers you may find, learning is setting that very first foundational layer for taking that next leap and thus, trying again.
Phase 4: Adapt
Humans adapt–that is our nature. Changing is uncomfortable but inevitable. Notice a trend yet? All of these steps are essential. Adapting is the resilience phase. Learning what you did wrong the first time, and what you will do differently the next is part of the process. My best advice? Find that inspiration that fuels you and circle yourself with the people that support you. Find the courage in yourself to try again and see things differently. Embrace that new perspective — if you continue to practice this skill of adapting repeatedly, you will grow.
Phase 5: Try Again
And the cycle comes back around again. This is the second most important phase and really challenges what happens next. To try again is to take on a new, or same challenge but in a different way. This can be any challenge that you have captured as a goal or this could be something your manager or peer has pinpointed as a developmental action. To try again is to try again with a new perspective, and that takes guts and resilience. It is the leap of faith you must take in order to get anywhere in your career. This is the point in the cycle that is vital. If this phase does not happen, then that is when individuals get “stuck” in their careers and plateau. If your goal is to grow then you must take on that challenge and witness what your potential is. Again, you know you may fail — but you also just might succeed.
Phase 6: Succeed
To succeed is to finally achieve that hard-earned “win.” This is a glorifying moment for yourself, your team, and your career. Soak it in. You worked hard, learned from the past, and earned this success.
Phase 7: Confidence Surge
Now, this is the feel-good, high point of the entire cycle. Shortly after succeeding, you now have layered on another coat of confidence. It may have taken a while but it finally did happen. Now don’t forget to still be humble, but go ahead and enjoy that confidence high — you’ve earned it.
Phase 8: New Growth Stage
Now that you are here you have graduated to a new level in your skills and expertise. You’ve come to realize the power of your resilience. This will ground you going into the next phase. A new growth stage can be little or big. It can be a new position or even a new skill. Self-doubt will play a big part here. As humans we doubt ourselves all the time, right? That is okay. Just anchor yourself in what you have learned, what you did to change its course next time, and how you were successful. Dig your heels into this phase. This is a big milestone for you. Now is also a good time for you to teach others what you have learned.
Phase 9: Adapt Again
The ninth, and final phase of this cycle loops around and begins once again. Instead of going right back to trying, you now must first adapt. You will adapt, based on all of your learnings, wins, and failures. This is your time to launch yourself in a new way, being in that new stage and continuing the cycle of growth.
Recap: Growth = Failure
Growing is a continuous, brutal, but honest journey one must put themselves through to grow personally and professionally. Simply put, to grow is to fail. Failures lead to learning, learning leads to adapting, and adapting leads to success (sometimes). Most importantly, do not be afraid of failure, and do not be afraid to put your team out there and have them learn and fail as well. Failing is everything. Without it you will not grow — simply put.
I hope these phases were helpful for you, your peers, and really anyone. As I was writing this, I definitely am starting again in the trying phase and attempting something new at writing my first ever Medium article. I hope you share this with others and learn that there is a pattern we all go through together. Good luck out there, you got this. 💪
Also check out: Inspired by the Designer’s Growth Model by Dennis Hambeukers, where he maps out the different phases that a designer encounters as they grow — another great read!
