The Growing Leadership Gap

We’ve got a problem.

There are leadership roles waiting to be filled. Teams needing real guidance. Big visions that aren’t moving forward. But too many people aren’t ready to step into what’s next.

Not because they lack the desire,

but because they haven’t built the leadership skills that make them ready.

And you don’t build those skills by accident.

You build them through consistent, intentional habits.

What I See in Growdie

Inside Growdie, we track behavior. And after reviewing more than 50,000 logged data points, one thing is clear:

The leaders who are rising aren’t necessarily the most talented.

They’re the most consistent and intentional.

We track eight core behavior patterns. Over time, leaders fall into three clear groups—each one showing who is ready, who’s stalling, and who still has a long way to go.

Filling the Gap: These Leaders Are Becoming Ready

The ones growing fast, leading well, and gaining real traction usually live out the majority of these behaviors:

• Builder – Builds sustainable growth habits with consistency

• Steady – Maintains a reliable rhythm of effort, especially when it’s not exciting

• Engaged – Leans into meaningful goals and challenges with focus and drive

• Finisher – Follows through on what they begin

• Pacer – Builds consistent momentum over time, avoids burnout

• Connector – Invests in meaningful relationships and people development

• Aligned – Shows focused growth that reflects their values and vision

• Integrator – Grows across multiple areas of life with balance and intention

These are the people who don’t just talk about leadership. They’re becoming leaders you can trust.

Stalling Out: These Leaders Aren’t Moving Fast Enough

They show potential. They even have streaks of momentum. But they’re not consistent enough to be ready for more.

We see traits like this with these leaders:

• Inconsistent – Shows up, but struggles with rhythm or follow-through

• Up and Down – Swings between spurts and slowdowns—momentum is there, but shaky

• Half In – Starts with energy, but fades over time

• Spotty – Finishes some things, drops others

• Mixed Mode – Alternates between progress and drifting

• Low Contact – Connects, but growth may be one-sided or shallow

• Wanderer – Moves from idea to idea without a consistent theme

• Lopsided – Invests in growth, but unevenly—some areas thrive, others are ignored

Let’s Talk About Lopsided Growth

This one is dangerous—because it looks great on the outside. But it’s not sustainable.

In Growdie, I’ve seen this play out:

• Dialed in on business, but lacks relational depth

• Focused on fitness, but emotionally distant

• Sharp professionally, but lacking purpose and peace

Lopsided leaders hit walls.

Because leadership always demands more than just one side of you.

Here’s what the data shows:

• Lopsided growth means investing in 3–4 focus areas, but doing it unevenly

• 1-2 areas are often dominant, and the others are barely touched

• Blind spots form when you grow without balance or feedback

Growdie Data Tells the Story:

• 75% of users focus 80% of their growth actions in just two categories

• The top 10% of leaders in Growdie take consistent action across five or more focus areas

• 90% of users who complete a 60-day streak grow across at least four different categories

They aren’t just intense. They’re in a healthy flow. And that’s what makes the top 10% more ready.

External Research Confirms It:

• A joint study by Harvard, Stanford, and Carnegie found that 85% of career success comes from soft skills, not technical knowledge

National Soft Skills Association

• Psychologist Tasha Eurich found that although most people believe they’re self-aware, only 10–15% actually are

Suzi McAlpine: The Leader’s Digest

If you’re only building in one lane, you might be missing the gaps that are holding you back.

Stuck at the Start: These Leaders Aren’t Ready Yet

This group struggles with traction. They start strong, then vanish. They have the desire, but not the structure. Here’s what we usually see with them:

• Dabbler – Starts often, but rarely follows through

• Pendulum – Swings between extremes, not stability

• Escaper – Avoids long-term effort and leans away from challenge

• Starter Only – Rarely finishes what they start

• Sprinter – Relies on bursts of energy but lacks staying power

• Isolator – Grows alone and avoids meaningful support

• Unclear – Activity is scattered and unfocused

• One-Laner – Over-focuses on one or two areas and neglects the rest

Some of these people have potential. But they’re not putting in the reps to build what it takes.

You Can’t Lead What You Haven’t Lived

Leadership isn’t handed to you.

It’s earned through small, consistent choices over time.

And I’m not just talking about mastering one skill.

You can’t coach discipline if you’re not disciplined.

You can’t talk about consistency while living out chaos.

People don’t follow your words, they follow your habits.

You don’t need to have “been there” in the exact place someone else is going.

But you do need the lived tools to lead them there.

That’s what earns trust. That’s what makes your leadership real.

It becomes easy to rely on talent instead of that kind of depth.

But talent alone doesn’t build people, it just buys time.

At some point, your life has to match what you’re asking others to do.

So What Can You Do?

1. Run a real audit – Are you consistent? Do you finish what you start?

2. Check your balance – Are you growing in multiple areas or just one?

3. Track your behavior – Not just how you feel, but what you’re actually doing

4. Pick one behavior to focus on – like becoming more Steady or actually Finishing what you start.

Set a 30-day goal. Track it. Review your progress weekly. Small reps lead to real change.

The Gap is Real, but So Is the Opportunity

The best leaders I know didn’t land there by accident.

They grew into it. Because they kept showing up.

If you want to lead something that matters, don’t wait around hoping for it.

Start building it—right where you are.

Start Building with Growdie

I’m not the most talented leader. I never have been.

But I’ve become a consistent one.

And that consistency, showing up every day and choosing to grow even when it’s hard, has changed everything for me.

Growdie wasn’t made to impress anyone. It was built to support people like me and you. People who want to grow with purpose, even when no one’s watching.

Growdie gives you the tools to build real leadership habits, daily check-ins, growth area tracking, and a way to spot your blind spots before they take you out.

Inside Growdie, we’ll track your behavior, you’ll see where you’re growing, and notice what you’ve been avoiding. You’ll build clarity, discipline, and confidence.

You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to keep showing up.

If you’ve ever felt the gap between who you are and who you want to be, this is how you close it.

Start small. Stay steady. Keep showing up.

That’s how leaders are built. 💯