June 25, 2026

225. Great Leaders Push People Before They're Ready

15 minutes

One of the most common mistakes leaders make is waiting until someone feels "ready" before giving them a bigger opportunity.

In this episode, Sue challenges that thinking and explores why growth often happens because of uncomfortable opportunities—not after them. Drawing from her own leadership experiences and leadership development research, she explains why stretch assignments, executive exposure, and visibility opportunities are some of the most powerful tools leaders have for developing future leaders.

Sue shares practical ways leaders can help team members build confidence through action, gain valuable experience, and develop the skills needed to thrive in today's constantly changing business environment. She also discusses why confidence is often the result of taking action rather than the prerequisite for it.

If you want to create stronger leaders, build a deeper leadership bench, and help your team realize their full potential, this episode offers actionable strategies you can begin using immediately

Key Takeaways

Most people never feel completely ready for their next leadership opportunity.

Growth often happens because of challenging experiences, not before them.

Leadership development is driven more by experience than formal training.

Stretch assignments accelerate learning, adaptability, and confidence.

Visibility opportunities help employees build influence, credibility, and leadership presence.

Confidence is typically the result of action, not the prerequisite for it.

Leaders who overprotect high-potential employees may unintentionally limit their growth.

Executive exposure provides valuable opportunities to learn, observe, and develop.

Coaching and feedback after stretch opportunities help reinforce learning.

Great leaders don't just evaluate readiness—they actively develop it.

Sometimes the most important thing a leader can do is believe in someone's potential before they believe in it themselves.

Connect with Susan M. Barber

If this episode resonated with you, share it with another leader navigating change inside their organization.

You can also connect with Susan M. Barber for coaching, leadership development, speaking engagements, and visibility strategy work focused on helping leaders become more influential, trusted, and impactful inside organizations.

https://susanmbarber.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanbarbercoaching/

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By Susan M. Barber