One of the greatest risks facing successful leaders is not incompetence.

It's certainty.

The experience, expertise, and confidence that help leaders advance can also make continued growth more difficult.

Over time, success has a way of reinforcing our assumptions. We become more confident in our judgment. We rely on familiar approaches. We trust what has worked before.

Those are not inherently bad things.

In fact, experience is one of a leader's greatest assets.

But when confidence begins to replace curiosity, growth can stall.

That is often where leadership plateaus begin.