The Practice of Growth

Why This Matters to Me

One of the values I come back to again and again—in my own life, and in the teams I lead—is the idea of owning your own development. It’s a simple phrase, but it carries a lot of weight. I’ve seen the difference it makes: in careers that flourish or stall, in teams that grow or drift, in people who stay curious and resilient even when the path forward isn’t obvious.

I care about this value because I’ve had to live it. I’ve worked in environments with lots of support, and others where I had to carve a path on my own. I’ve hired people who showed up with a strong sense of ownership over their growth, and others who waited for someone else to tell them what to do next. The difference isn’t just performance—it’s agency, momentum, clarity.

And maybe more than anything, I care about this because I don’t believe anyone else should care more about your growth than you do. Not your boss, not your company, not your mentor. That doesn’t mean you’re alone. But it does mean that the work of learning—of getting better, deeper, stronger—starts with you.

What It Means to Own Your Development

Owning your development doesn’t mean going it alone. It doesn’t mean pushing harder and harder or figuring everything out by yourself. What it does mean is taking responsibility for your growth—not outsourcing it to your manager, your company, or your circumstances.

It means being an active participant in your own progress. Not waiting for someone to notice your potential or hand you a map, but getting curious, asking good questions, and seeking out the people, experiences, and feedback that help you grow.

It’s a posture more than a plan. It looks like:

• Tracking your own progress—not just chasing promotions, but noticing how your thinking is evolving.
• Being honest about what you don’t know and intentional about closing those gaps.
• Asking for feedback instead of hoping for it.
• Seeing your role not just as a job, but as a practice.

This kind of ownership usually stems from confidence—not arrogance, but a willingness to face limits without flinching. When you believe you can grow, you’re more willing to engage, to ask questions, to risk being seen. Avoidance often comes not from lack of skill, but from lack of confidence. Ownership pushes the other way.

Common Pitfalls and Misunderstandings

When people talk about growth or development at work, the conversation often drifts into territory that sounds good but subtly offloads responsibility. It’s easy to fall into a passive stance—waiting for the company to create a clear path, or for a manager to unlock the next opportunity.

Here are a few patterns I’ve noticed that can get in the way:

• Waiting for permission
  Some people hold back on pursuing growth until it’s explicitly invited. They assume someone else needs to sign off before they learn something new or step into stretch work. But most meaningful growth happens before you’re fully ready—and long before it’s officially sanctioned.

• Treating feedback as threat
  When you see feedback as criticism, you naturally avoid it. But if you can reframe feedback as fuel—something to work with, not defend against—you’ll start to seek it out rather than dodge it.

• Equating development with promotion
  Growth isn’t always up and to the right. Some of the most valuable seasons in a career involve deepening your practice, strengthening your foundations, or exploring unfamiliar territory—not just climbing ladders.

• Thinking someone else owns the plan
  Managers can help. Companies can invest. But if you don’t care enough to drive your own growth, it won’t go anywhere. The most sustainable growth plans are the ones you actually believe in—because they’re yours.

Owning your development doesn’t mean you don’t need help. But it does mean you don’t wait passively for it. You make the first move.

What Companies Can—and Can’t—Do

Leaders and managers can do a lot to support growth. We can offer feedback, clarity, mentorship, learning opportunities, and space to stretch. But even the most thoughtful environment can’t manufacture growth in someone who isn’t ready to own it.

That’s why I try to design environments where ownership is both possible and expected. I want people to feel supported but not carried. Encouraged but not coddled. I want them to know: we’re here to help—but we’re not going to grow for you.

When teams get this balance right, people rise. Not because they were pushed, but because they were trusted to move under their own power.

Closing: An Invitation

Owning your development isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a way of showing up—curious, honest, and invested in your own growth. It takes clarity, and sometimes courage. But the reward is agency. You start to trust yourself more. You start to move with more intention. You don’t wait to be chosen.

If you’re a manager, you can model this. Talk openly about what you’re learning. Show your work. Invite others to take the lead in shaping their path—and back them when they do.

If you’re not sure where to begin, start small. Ask one good question. Try one unfamiliar thing. Name one area you want to grow in. You don’t need a grand plan. You just need to move.

No one else can own your development. But you don’t have to do it alone.