Your leadership breakdown might be a sign of growth. Here’s why

Leaders may feel burned out, frustrated, and confused, wondering if they're losing their touch, but what if they're actually shedding their old identity. Leadership development is not a linear progression, but rather a biological process of evolution, where leaders molt and emerge into new forms that fit the future more precisely. This process is similar to the instars of insect development, where each stage is complete but temporary, and eventually, the leader must shed their old identity to evolve. Through coaching, it's clear that leaders reach an inflection point where their instincts become constraints, and they need to evolve. The evolution unfolds in four phases: the original form, the first shedding, adaptation, and resonance. In the original form, the leader is the center of gravity, but this eventually breaks down, and they need to ask themselves what they need to do to release. In the first shedding, the leader feels friction and needs to shift power, narrative, and identity to metabolize complexity. In adaptation, the leader begins to lead through the system, rather than over it, and in resonance, leadership becomes coherent, and the leader builds for the long term. Most leadership breakdowns come from trying to scale a shape that no longer fits, and growth often requires recognizing when a season is ending and having the courage to lead from the unknown before the next form reveals itself.