There is a common framework called the S-curve that came to life with new meaning for me this week when I married the concept with some numbers.
Abhijit Bhaduri has studied startups (with an extra focus in India but all over the world) and shared that there are three buckets startups land in:
- Dreamers (those organizations that are striving to create value in the world)
- Unicorns (those organizations with a valuation of $1B)
- Market Shapers (those organizations that surpass the unicorns and shape entire markets)
Here is the stat he shared with me that resonated. Of all the startups only 1% make it to “unicorn” status. Those who make it to the “market shaper” status are just 0.01% of the population.
This model can be applied to your own leadership development. I visualized personal and organizational growth as an S-curve with thresholds that require self-disruption.
The “dreamers” sit below the first threshold while the “unicorns” sit in the middle and “market shapers” on top.
The phrase “what got you here won’t get you there” is relevant here. You may have to disrupt yourself many times to make progress. What is important is assessing where you are on the curve and then taking action to make progress.
I may never make it to “market shaper” but plan to leverage this framework for my growth. It feels like I am ripe for a personal disruption.
Where are you on your S-curve? If you have ambitions for continued growth, it may be time to disrupt yourself and lean into something that will challenge you and help you grow to the next level.
