Want to Stay Relevant During Disruption? Invest in Your Leadership
During disruption, leadership can feel like a nonstop response cycle. New challenges arise daily, and the pressure to adapt is real. But when leaders neglect their own development in favor of reacting to everything around them, they risk becoming outdated—not just in their skills, but in their mindset.
Staying relevant isn’t just about learning the latest tools or trends. It’s about continually refining how you think, how you lead, and how you show up. The most trusted leaders aren’t the ones who always have the answers—they’re the ones who invest in becoming someone others want to follow, especially when the road ahead is unclear.
If you’re not growing, you’re coasting—and coasting during disruption is risky. The good news? Small, intentional investments in your development go a long way. They not only keep you sharp—they re-anchor you in purpose, confidence, and vision.
Here are three ways to invest in your leadership development right now:
Block time to think, not just do.
Even 30 minutes a week to step back and reflect on your leadership—what’s working, what’s not—can give you an edge. Strategic insight rarely comes when you’re stuck in execution.
Stretch into discomfort on purpose.
Sign up for something that makes you slightly nervous: a roundtable, a speaking opportunity, a new mentor. Growth often lives just outside your comfort zone.
Invest in leadership development like it’s a business priority—because it is.
Budget for coaching. Join a program. Read, write, or listen to something that challenges your thinking. Prioritizing your growth sets the tone for your entire team to do the same.
You can’t control the pace of change—but you can control who you are in the midst of it. The leaders who remain relevant are the ones who stay curious, committed, and courageous enough to keep evolving.
Leadership Practice
Pick one development area you’ve been ignoring. Maybe it’s communication. Confidence. Vision. Strategy. Write it down. Then answer:
What’s one step I could take this week to grow in that area?
Who could support me in this?
What might become possible if I committed to this fully?
You’re the most important asset in your leadership. Treat yourself like it.
About Athena
Athena Williams, Founder and CEO of Tenacious Leadership Institute, has been supporting leaders worldwide to become more tenacious for over 20 years. She has found that tenacity is the key to sustained leadership success in today’s ever-changing world. Through her coaching and leadership development programs, she helps leaders expertly handle change, complexity and other challenges so they can quickly get better results for themselves, their teams and their organizations.
Take the first step to becoming a tenacious leader by scheduling a call with us.
