How to Shift Team Performance by Changing the Leadership Mentality

Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to Leadership Unscripted. Each edition, we share 1 Case Study, 1 Framework, 1 Question. These are real moments and practical strategies for rethinking your approach to leadership.

Let’s dive in.

Sheyna was a high-performing VP in a fast-scaling Biotech—known for her strategic thinking and ability to drive results through her team.

Her company believed in her leadership potential and decided to invest in Sheyna through 1:1 executive coaching. The goals?

• Strengthen her leadership presence and impact at the senior level.

• Balance her leadership with business performance and results.

• Adapt her leadership approach to better support her team and organization.

• Clarify her goals and establish accountability partners.

But early in the coaching engagement, something became clear:

Sheyna had never created an Individual Growth Plan (IGP) for herself.

For years, she had shaped the growth of her team members—but had never intentionally mapped her own development. Like many leaders, she was so focused on coaching and developing others she had neglected her own evolution.

Sheyna realized she needed to turn the mirror on herself, not her team this time. With the help, guidance, and support of her executive coach she created her first IGP. This focused on identifying gaps in her leadership, uncovering underdeveloped skills and competencies, recognizing blind spots, and strategically assessing her strengths to build on what she was doing well. Not only did she use her coach for accountability, she also discussed this with her leader and invited a few peers, as accountability partners, into the process.

The result?

• Clarity—she knew exactly where she needed to grow and develop.

• Trust—her team saw her model the same growth mindset she expected from them.

• Alignment—her leadership and communication became even more intentional and collaborative.

• Communication–her relationship with her boss and peers became more proactive and intentional.

When leaders prioritize and model growth, they don’t just talk about development—they embody it.

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1 Framework

The Leadership IGP Blueprint

Like Sheyna, if you’ve never built an Individual Growth Plan for yourself, or if you're a people leader lacking your own IGP, you can start here:

1. Where do I see the greatest opportunities to grow and develop as a leader, based on feedback and input I have received? (If you have not gotten this - ask for it.)

2. What impact do I want to make within the organization and where do I need to focus my development and actions to achieve this?

3. In what ways do I want to be held accountable for my growth, development and results?

An IGP isn’t just about where you want to go—it’s about making sure you’re actively leading yourself there, with some help, guidance, and support.

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1 Question

Great leaders grow themselves before they grow others. 👉 Would your team describe your leadership strengths and impact the same way you would?

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More to Think About:

Here are five possible questions to explore this mindset shift (choose one for reflection):

1. Are you actively developing yourself—or just developing others?

2. What’s one way you can show your team that growth is a two-way process?

3. What leadership skill are you intentionally working on now to improve? 

4. If you were coaching yourself, what growth area would you focus on?

5. What’s the biggest leadership habit you’ve outgrown—but haven’t replaced? (Inspired by Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There)

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Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Hit reply and share—how do you approach your own leadership growth?

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Real Stories. Real Tools. Real Impact.

Forget the fluff. We’re that company, revealing behind-the-scenes leadership wins and strategies that actually work.

Because all it takes is one bold move to shatter barriers, inspire your team, and make your mark.