How to Measure Leadership Growth Beyond Numbers
Growth in leadership isn’t about how fast you climb — it’s about how well you adapt when the climb gets tough.
This week, our Emerging Voices community explored what it truly means to grow as a leader or entrepreneur. It’s not about headcounts, revenue charts, or titles. It’s about impact, relationships, and resilience — the real measures of leadership in motion.
As Initiativeone explains, the world’s most effective leaders thrive because they “turn adversity into alignment — building stronger teams, trust, and clarity when things get hard.”
Let’s dive into the lessons our Voices shared on how to play the hand you’re dealt — with authenticity, consistency, and courage.
How Do You Measure Your Growth as a Leader?
We started the week by asking:
“What do you use to measure your growth as a leader or entrepreneur?”
The top response from our community? Impact and Relationships.
Our Emerging Voices agreed that leadership growth isn’t measured in numbers — it’s measured in how deeply you connect and how much you empower others.
That aligns with a Linkedin Post, which states that “the most effective leaders measure their progress by how well they develop those around them.”
👉 Join the ongoing conversation and share your vote here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7382369328685514752
Community Highlights: Leadership in Action
“The only way to work is to be able to assist. My job is as a servant leader.”
Robert reminded us that the higher you rise, the more your job becomes about lifting others up. As a global business leader overseeing 13 manufacturing locations, he embodies the idea that impact grows when control lessens.
According to McKinsey & Company, servant leadership models create more engaged and innovative teams, especially in resource-limited environments.
💡 Explore more: How to Build Lean Leadership That Grows with Limited Resources — MarketMeMore
“It’s not always about flying — it’s about gliding with intention.”
In her Wild Wisdom Saturday post, Anna drew inspiration from nature — comparing leadership to a flying squirrel that doesn’t have wings yet soars through strategy, not speed.
The metaphor rings true: effective leaders don’t force flight; they trust their trajectory.
Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends Report 2024 confirms that organizations fostering adaptive, flexible leadership outperform rigid ones in innovation by 33%.
The lesson? In times of uncertainty, adaptation beats acceleration.
“Sometimes, leadership means walking away to stay true to your mission.”
Gangesh reflected on the story of Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s quiet co-founder, who left the company to preserve its mission and ethics. His decision highlights one of the toughest truths in leadership: sometimes integrity demands sacrifice.
💡 Dive deeper: How AI Workflows Drive Enterprise Efficiency — MarketMeMore
“Authentic leadership is forged in moments of scarcity, not abundance.”
Matthew’s rise from self-taught real estate entrepreneur to one of LinkedIn’s most influential voices is proof that authenticity and persistence are worth more than any budget.
As LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report 2025 highlights, consistency and authenticity are the top predictors of sustained leadership influence.
💡 Complement this with The Leadership Compass: Navigating Your Path to Influence — MarketMeMore.
EVU Live: Ideas That Scale | Episode 6 — Lead With What You Have 🎥
Last week’s EVU Live featured Ed McAndrew, who shared how his unique journey — as a 4’2” professional with over 30 years of leadership experience — redefines what it means to “play the hand dealt.”
His message?
“We’re called to do the best with the hand we’re dealt — not to sit on the sidelines upset about it.”
From startups to enterprise consulting, Ed’s resilience and authenticity inspire leaders to focus on purpose, not perfection.
Key Takeaways:
- Lead through limitations — resources may be finite, but creativity isn’t.
- Trust and authenticity outlast quick wins.
- Challenges are growth’s raw material — use them to refine, not define you.
As Harvard Business Review notes, resilient leaders “reframe constraints as catalysts for innovation.”
🎥 Watch the replay on LinkedIn: EVU Live: Ideas That Scale | Episode 6 — Lead With What You Have
Conclusion: Growth is Measured in Meaning, Not Metrics
This week, our Emerging Voices reminded us that real leadership doesn’t demand more — it demands better.
Robert showed that power is service. Anna proved that control isn’t progress. Gangesh modeled integrity under pressure. Matthew turned scarcity into opportunity. And Ed taught that leadership begins when excuses end.
As Forbes reminds us:
“Resilience is your most underrated competitive advantage.”
So, how are you measuring your growth — by your outcomes, or by your impact on others?
✨ Stay connected with EVU:
- Follow Emerging Voices Unite to catch weekly challenges, polls, and highlights.
- Subscribe to our Voices in Action newsletter → Subscribe Here
- Watch the replay of Episode 6 of EVU Live: Ideas that Scale last October 7 with Ed McAndrew.
- Connect with Ed McAndrew on LinkedIn to dive deeper into lean, efficient marketing strategies that turn limited resources into real growth.