The One Thing Great Leaders Do Before They Grow: They Let Go

It’s easy to assume that leadership growth comes from adding something new—new strategies, new skills, new frameworks. But this conversation reframes that assumption. Growth doesn’t always begin with learning. More often, it begins with unlearning—the intentional process of releasing habits, patterns, and ways of thinking that no longer serve you.

At its core, this episode is about a simple but challenging idea: great leaders grow by letting go first.

Why Letting Go Is Essential for Leadership Growth

Most leaders reach their roles because they’ve been successful. Their instincts work. Their habits produce results. Their ways of thinking have been reinforced over time.

But those same strengths can become constraints.

“The unlearning and the breaking a habit is way more difficult than just starting with a blank slate and learning something new.” — Dr. Linda Schubring

Unlearning requires leaders to question what has worked and consider whether those patterns still serve them in a new season. This is why letting go is central to leadership development. Without it, leaders risk layering new learning on top of outdated habits—creating tension rather than growth.

Unlearning Creates Space for Something New

A key theme in the episode is that letting go is not loss—it’s capacity. Brian describes learning like a kitchen cabinet. Over time, you keep adding more—tools, knowledge, strategies—until there’s no room left.

“At some point you need to undo all this learning… so that we can learn and create space for something new.” — Brian Schubring

Unlearning creates that space. It clears out what is no longer useful so something new can take its place.

Dr. Linda reinforces this with a practical leadership example: before teams can adopt new ideas, they often need time to unlearn what they’ve relied on in the past.

For leaders, this means recognizing that growth isn’t just about pushing forward. Sometimes, it requires stepping back and asking: What am I holding onto that no longer serves where I’m going?

The Awareness That Drives Unlearning

Letting go starts with awareness. Nathan reflects on how paying attention—especially to discomfort—can signal the need for change. Moments of tension often point to patterns that need to be reconsidered.

“Paying attention is my recognizing that I may have to unlearn something… to create an opportunity to learn something new.”

Without awareness, old habits continue unchecked. With it, leaders begin to see where unlearning is necessary.

Unlearning is not reactive—it’s intentional. It’s choosing to pause, reflect, and create space for a different way forward.

Letting Go Without Losing Yourself

Letting go does not mean losing who you are!

Unlearning isn’t about discarding your identity or abandoning your strengths. It’s about reassessing how those strengths are applied—and whether certain patterns still have value.

“It’s stepping into some unknown territory where the thinking that I have is not going to get me from here to there.” — Dr. Linda Schubring

Brian re-frames this as a question of utility: does this habit or belief still serve where you’re going?

If not, letting go becomes a strategic decision—not a personal loss.

The Rhythm of Learning and Unlearning

Learning and unlearning are not separate—they are connected.

“Any invitation in life to learn something new is also an invitation to unlearn something familiar.” — Brian Schubring

Growth is cyclical. Leaders learn, those lessons become habits, and over time those habits can limit growth. When that happens, unlearning creates space for something new.

Brian describes this as an “ebb and flow”—a natural rhythm between holding on and letting go.

A Question for Reflection

Dr. Linda closes the conversation with a simple but powerful question:

“What is something that you have had to let go of in order to create more space to try a new path forward?”

Instead of asking what you need to add, it asks what you need to release. Because the one thing great leaders do before they grow is this: They let go.

Listen and Reflect

If you’re navigating change, leading a team through uncertainty, or sensing that what once worked is no longer enough, this episode offers a practical lens on leadership growth and unlearning.

Take time to reflect on where you might need to let go—and what new possibilities that could create.

Listen to the full episode of The Leadership Vision Podcast, share it with your team, and begin the work of growing not just by learning more, but by letting go of what no longer serves you.