The past few months, I’ve noticed a pattern among leaders, especially when the road gets rough. When the business gets a little harder, when profitability isn’t where we want it to be, when uncertainty creeps in—many executives go insular. We pull back. We stop showing up to our peer networks. We focus inward, grinding it out, convinced that more hustle will solve the problem.
But, what I do know, is that the community we surround ourselves with will dictate who we become. It shapes how we see the world, how we solve problems, and ultimately how we grow.
Are you in the right room?
If you’re still in the same peer group, the same network, or the same room you were in five years ago, chances are you’ve outgrown it. That room may have fit you at one stage of your leadership, but is it still the most right fit for you now and for the future? Or are you staying because it feels comfortable?
Let me tell you a story. A few weeks ago, I was at an event sitting next to a woman executive I know well. Halfway through, I leaned over and said, “I think I’m in the wrong room.” She looked at me and said, “I was just thinking the same thing.”
There was nothing wrong with the room. But I realized I was surrounded by people looking to me as a mentor—and while mentorship is one of my passions, it can’t come at the cost of my own growth. I wasn’t being stretched in that room. I wasn’t being challenged.
To grow, I had to get in bigger rooms. I had to write bigger checks. (A mentor once told me: you want to grow? Write a bigger check). Whether it’s for a coach, a mastermind, or a new network—investing in yourself always pays off. In fact, studies show that leadership development yields a 7x return on investment.
And we need that return more than ever.
CEO turnover is up 57% year over year. That tells me one thing: we’re burned out. And it’s not because we aren’t smart or capable. It’s because we’re trying to solve today’s complex problems with yesterday’s tools and support systems.
An economist I recently listened to put it perfectly: we need to shift our mindset from uncertainty to complexity. Complexity isn’t going away. It’s the new normal. So we need people around us who can help us lead through it.
That means getting in rooms with people outside your industry. People who think differently. People who aren’t afraid to challenge you. Because it’s in those rooms that our perspective shifts and our growth accelerates.
I’ll leave you with a few questions:
- Who are you surrounding yourself with right now?
- Are they challenging your thinking?
- Are they helping you grow or just validating where you already are?
- What new room do you need to be in for 2026?
You don’t need to feel guilty about leaving a room you’ve outgrown. Growth requires movement. Our businesses, our teams, our communities—they need us to keep climbing.
And if you need help finding the right room? I’ve been in a lot of them. Some great, some not-so-great. Let’s talk. I have some exciting announcements coming soon about opportunities to gather, grow, and elevate together, so stay tuned.
