The next level of leadership isn't more productivity, it's more perspective

You can be exceptional at what you do and still feel like you’ve outgrown how you think.

That moment is hard to talk about, especially for high-achieving, deeply competent leaders. On the surface, things are working. But under the surface, something feels…off. What used to drive results now creates friction. What used to motivate no longer feels fulfilling. The clarity that once came easily starts to get crowded by complexity, responsibility, and paradox.

That’s not failure. That’s evolution.

Why is the old leadership playbook running out of pages?

Most leadership development is built around the idea of horizontal growth. More skills, more tactics, more productivity hacks. And for a while, that works.

But eventually, you reach a point where doing more doesn’t get you further.

You don’t need a new productivity system.
You need a new perspective.
you need to grow vertically. 

Vertical growth is a different game

Vertical development isn’t about adding more tools to your belt. Instead, it’s about upgrading the operating system that decides which tools to use in the first place.

It’s the shift from:

• “How do I fix this"?” to “How do I understand this differently?”

• “What’s the fastest decision?” to “What’s the wisest decision?”

• “How do I manage more?” to “How do I hold more without losing clarity?”

This is the kind of growth that allows you to stay grounded in paradox, lead through complexity, and evolve from reactive expert to reflective architect.

And it’s often the one thing most leaders don’t know they’re missing.

If you’ve felt this pull, this desire to grow in a different direction, you are not alone.

I’ve been exploring these ideas deeply in my own work, and in conversations with others who have hit the same inflection point. There is no checklist for tis kind of leadership. But there are questions worth sitting with.

Until next time—unlearning with you,
Natasa