The Leadership Habit That Drives Continuous Growth
“What got you here won’t get you there.” — Marshall Goldsmith
Every business owner wants to grow. They invest in technology, marketing, and talented people. But one of the most powerful growth tools often gets ignored: feedback.
As businesses grow, founders become further removed from day-to-day operations. Employees hesitate to disagree, customers stop complaining and quietly leave, and managers avoid difficult conversations. Over time, leaders begin making decisions with incomplete information.
This is where growth slows—not because of a lack of effort, but because of a lack of honest feedback.
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Success Can Create Blind Spots
In his bestselling book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Marshall Goldsmith explains that successful leaders often develop habits that become invisible to them but obvious to everyone around them.
These habits may include:
- Interrupting others during discussions.
- Wanting to be right in every conversation.
- Rejecting ideas too quickly.
- Giving advice before fully understanding the problem.
- Speaking more than listening.
These behaviours are rarely intentional, but they affect trust, collaboration, and decision-making. The challenge is that you can’t fix what you can’t see.
That’s why feedback is essential—it helps leaders identify their blind spots.
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Feedback Is About Growth, Not Criticism
Many leaders avoid feedback because they see it as criticism. In reality, feedback is simply information that helps us improve.
Goldsmith introduces the idea of Feedforward—instead of focusing on past mistakes, ask people what you can do better in the future.
Rather than asking:
“How did I do?”
Ask:
“What is one thing I can do differently to become a better leader?”
This simple shift changes the conversation from blame to improvement.
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Build Multiple Feedback Loops
Don’t rely on one source of feedback. Every stakeholder offers a different perspective.
Regularly seek feedback from:
- Customers
- Employees
- Managers
- Vendors
- Mentors
Customers tell you how you deliver value. Employees reveal cultural and operational challenges. Mentors and peers help you see strategic blind spots.
The more perspectives you gather, the better your decisions become.
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What Research Says
Research consistently shows that meaningful feedback improves engagement and performance.
According to Gallup, employees who receive meaningful feedback regularly are significantly more engaged at work. In one analysis, around 80% of employees who had received meaningful feedback in the previous week described themselves as fully engaged.
Leadership research also shows that organisations improve faster when feedback becomes a continuous process rather than an annual event.
Feedback isn’t just an HR practice—it is a business growth strategy.
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A Simple Habit Every Leader Should Adopt
At the end of every month, ask five people one question:
“What is one thing I can do differently to become a better leader?”
When they answer:
- Listen without interrupting.
- Don’t justify your actions.
- Don’t defend yourself.
- Write down recurring patterns.
- Focus on improving one habit at a time.
Small behavioural improvements, repeated consistently, create exceptional leaders.
Businesses don’t stop growing because they run out of opportunities.
They stop growing because leaders stop learning.
The best leaders aren’t the ones who always have the right answers—they’re the ones who continue asking the right questions.
As Marshall Goldsmith reminds us:
“What got you here won’t get you there.”
If you want your business to grow, start by improving the person leading it.
Because the quality of your business will always reflect the quality of your leadership.
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Author Bio
Mr. Rahul Revne Founder of RRTCS (Rahul Revne Training & Consultancy Services), Mr. Rahul Revne brings over 15 years of experience in HR, Sales, Strategy, and end-to-end business consulting.
Known for turning struggling ventures into thriving enterprises, he helps entrepreneurs master the art of meaningful customer connection, emotional intelligence in sales, and purpose-driven business growth. Author of Entrepreneurial Series and Spirit of Inspiration, Mr. Revne continues to empower leaders with clarity, courage, and customer focus.