You want results. Yesterday.
I get it. Every leader I work with feels the pressure to show progress quickly. Fix the team dynamics. Improve performance. Get buy-in on the new strategy.
But here’s what I’ve learned after coaching hundreds of leaders: the ones who create lasting change understand something crucial.
They trust the process.
Great leaders know that real transformation doesn’t happen overnight. They resist the urge to force quick fixes. They stay committed even when progress feels slow.
This came up recently with a client who was frustrated. “I’ve been working on my listening skills for three weeks,” she told me. “Why isn’t my team opening up more?”
Three weeks. She expected a complete shift in team culture in three weeks.
I asked her: “How long did it take you to develop the habits you’re trying to change?”
She paused. “Years, I guess.”
Exactly.
Here’s what trusting the process actually looks like:
You show up consistently. Not just when it’s convenient or when you remember. Every day, you practice the behaviors you’re trying to build. You ask better questions in meetings. You pause before reacting. You follow through on commitments. Small actions, repeated over time, create massive shifts.
You give people time to adjust. When you change your leadership approach, your team needs time to trust it’s real. If you’ve been directive for years and suddenly start asking for input, people will be skeptical. They’re waiting to see if this new version of you will last. Give them that time.
You measure progress differently. Stop looking for dramatic transformation. Start noticing small wins. Did someone share an idea they normally would have held back? Did a meeting feel more collaborative? Did you catch yourself before falling into an old pattern? These moments matter.
You stay curious when things don’t work. Not every approach will land perfectly. Sometimes you’ll try something new and it’ll fall flat. Great leaders don’t see this as a failure. They see it as information. What can you learn? What needs adjusting? What’s the next experiment?
You remember why you started. When progress feels slow, reconnect with your original intention. Why did you want to become a better listener? Why does building trust with your team members matter? Why are you committed to this growth? That clarity keeps you going when results aren’t visible yet.
I’ve watched leaders transform their entire organizations by trusting this process. Not in three weeks. Not even in three months. But over time, with consistent effort and genuine commitment, the change becomes undeniable.
One of my clients spent six months working on creating psychological safety in his team. Six months of asking more questions, responding to mistakes with curiosity instead of criticism, and acknowledging his own uncertainties.
For the first few months, nothing seemed different. Then slowly, people started speaking up more. They began challenging ideas constructively. They took more risks. Now, a year later, his team is the most innovative group in the company.
But if he’d given up after three weeks? None of that happens.
Here’s the truth: leadership development is not a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s a practice.
And like any practice (learning an instrument, getting fit, mastering a skill), the process itself is where the growth happens.
So trust it. Show up. Stay consistent. Give it time.
The results will come. Not on your timeline, but on the timeline that real change requires.
What leadership practice are you committed to right now? How are you trusting the process?
If you’d like support staying committed to your leadership development, let’s talk.
What’s one leadership behavior you’d change if you could?
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