Leaders Who Seek Help Are the Ones Who Grow Sustainably
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Only about 25% of business leaders seek external help, and just a fraction of them turn that help into lasting change. That’s why truly sustainable leadership is so rare.
(Bain & Company, McKinsey)
Those Who Grow Don’t Grow Alone
You’ve probably noticed it too.
There are people who just keep moving forward.
Through market shifts, tough years, big challenges — and they don’t just survive.
They grow.
And they grow again.
And again.
It’s easy to think they’re different — smarter, luckier, better connected.
But most of the time, they’re just doing one thing differently:
They ask for help.
Not because they’re lost.
But because they understand something many avoid:
Growth isn’t meant to happen alone.
Only 3% Truly Grow Sustainably
According to Bain & Company, only 20–25% of entrepreneurs or leaders seek outside help.
It could be a mentor, a coach, a consultant — someone who challenges their thinking and brings a fresh perspective.
But here’s the second layer:
McKinsey says that only 12% of business transformations actually succeed.
This means that only a small portion of those who seek help actually follow through — they apply, they change, they stay open.
When you multiply those two numbers... you end up with a very small figure.
3%.
Three out of a hundred.
These are the leaders who truly grow — not once, but continuously.
Not because it’s easy. But because they choose to show up differently.
They build businesses that don’t just operate — they evolve.
Maybe All That’s Missing... Is a Question
This isn’t about judgment.
It’s not about blame.
A pattern worth noticing.
Because if you’re someone who truly wants to grow,
maybe the only thing holding you back is that you haven’t asked.
Growth Starts with the Courage to Ask
The leaders who keep growing aren’t the ones who pretend to have it all figured out.
They’re the ones brave enough to say:
“What got me here won’t get me there.”
And here’s how it plays out in real life:
First, you ask.
You let someone in.You admit there’s something you don’t know yet — something you want to do better.
Then, you act.
You try.
You put the idea into practice.
You take the step.
Even when it feels uncomfortable.
And slowly — or sometimes suddenly — things begin to move.
You grow.
Not just once.
But again.
And again.
Growth Mindset: The Key to Real Leadership
This way of being — where someone opens up, seeks support, and actually applies it — has a name.
Psychologist Carol Dweck calls it “growth mindset.”
It’s the belief that your abilities, your results, your leadership — they’re not fixed.
They can develop.
They can transform.
But only if you stay open.
If you choose to learn.
If you’re willing to step into the unknown, even when it’s hard.
What Holds Us Back? Fixed Mindset and Quiet Fears
On the other side... there’s something else.
Something many leaders feel, but don’t always name.
Fixed mindset.
And it shows up in quiet ways:
That voice — fear of judgment — that whispers:
“If I ask for help, they’ll think I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Pride — ego — that says:
“I should be able to figure this out myself.”
Fear — the need for control — that tells you:
“If I let go even a little, I might lose everything.”
Or maybe it’s something deeper.
A cultural belief, something you’ve heard your whole life:
“Real leaders don’t need help.”
But that... just isn’t true.
Beyond the Question
You don’t have to have all the answers.
You just have to stay curious.
To want to learn.
To grow.
And honestly?
Asking for help — real, meaningful, uncomfortable help — might be one of the smartest and bravest things you ever do.
A Final Message: Maybe It’s Your Turn
I’ve seen this again and again — not just in data, but in real people.
In real life.
Entrepreneurs.
Founders.
Leaders.
Brilliant people, with vision and potential.
And yet, at some point... they get stuck.
Not because they don’t work hard.
Not because they aren’t capable.
But because, slowly, they stopped asking.
They closed off.
They isolated.
They got used to the story:
“I should be able to handle this on my own.”
And that’s exactly where stagnation begins.
I see it.
And I want to change it.
That’s also my mission as a holistic business consultant:
To help.
To listen.
To challenge.
To create space for real change.
Because real growth doesn’t just come from numbers.
It comes from real conversations.
From clarity.
From courage.
From alignment.
And I truly believe that if we could even double the percentage of those who ask for help and follow through — from 3% to 6% — the impact would be huge.
Stronger companies.
Healthier teams.
More balanced leaders.
And a more human economy.
It all starts with one simple act:
To ask.
Maybe it’s your turn.
So if you feel it might be the moment — or even if you’re just curious —I’m here.
No pressure.
No sales.
Just a conversation. 🙂
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