Small Wins to Big Leaps: Why Leadership is All About Taking The Next Step

Most leaders fail not because they lack vision, but because they're paralyzed by the distance between where they are and where they want to be. They stare at the summit while standing at base camp, overwhelmed by every obstacle between here and there. The gap feels insurmountable. So they wait. They plan. They overthink. And they never move.

Here's what I've learned after decades of coaching football and building leaders: The secret to extraordinary leadership growth isn't in the destination: it's in your willingness to take the next step.

The Small Wins Philosophy That Changed Everything

Years ago, I developed what I call the "Small Wins = Big Gains" philosophy. It's simple: every massive achievement is built on a foundation of small, consistent victories. Championship seasons aren't won in one game. They're won in hundreds of practice reps, film sessions, conditioning drills, and split-second decisions that compound over time.

The same principle applies to leadership growth and career advancement. You don't wake up one morning as a transformational leader. You become one through daily choices: how you respond to setbacks, how you communicate with your team, how you hold yourself accountable when nobody's watching.

Small wins create momentum. They build confidence. Most importantly, they prove to yourself and your team that progress is possible. When a struggling player masters one technique, they believe they can master the next. When a leader successfully navigates one difficult conversation, they approach the next with less fear and more competence.

Research backs this up. Teams that focus on incremental improvements: the 1% Rule, as some call it: experience compound growth that far exceeds what's possible through sporadic bursts of effort. One small, deliberate improvement each day creates exponential progress over time. Success becomes the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.

From Small Wins to Taking The Next Step

But here's where things get interesting. The Small Wins philosophy was just the beginning. As I worked with leaders across sports, business, and education, I realized something crucial: knowing you need small wins isn't enough. You need to know WHICH small win comes next.

That's where the evolution happened. That's where "Take The Next Step" was born.

My new book, "Take The Next Step" (releasing this March), explores this exact challenge. It's about the paralysis that comes from seeing the whole staircase instead of focusing on the single step in front of you. It's about career advancement that happens not through five-year master plans, but through answering one question: "What's the next right step I can take today?"

Think about it. When you're trying to develop as a leader, the full picture is overwhelming:

• Improve communication skills

• Build emotional intelligence

• Develop strategic thinking

• Master conflict resolution

• Enhance decision-making under pressure

• Cultivate team culture

• Balance competing priorities

That list could paralyze anyone. But what if you asked a different question: "What's ONE leadership skill I can work on this week?" Suddenly, the impossible becomes actionable.

Why the Next Step Matters More Than the Finish Line

Here's what I've observed in championship programs and high-performing organizations: the best leaders are obsessed with direction, not speed. They're not asking "How do I get there fastest?" They're asking "Am I moving the right direction today?"

This mindset shift changes everything about leadership growth.

When a new coach joins our staff, they're not worrying about becoming a head coach someday. They're focused on mastering the zone blocking scheme this week. They're taking the next step: running better practice drills, building stronger player relationships, studying more film. Career advancement takes care of itself when you're committed to taking the next right step consistently.

The progression from small wins to big leaps works because incremental progress builds the foundation for transformational moves. You can't make a bold leadership decision if you haven't built the credibility through dozens of smaller decisions first. You can't inspire a team through one speech if you haven't earned their trust through consistent daily actions.

Small victories create what researchers call "catalysts and nourishers": supportive actions like clear goals and autonomy, paired with recognition and encouragement. When you take the next step and succeed, you create positive momentum that makes the following step easier. Success compounds.

The Strategic Balance: When to Step, When to Leap

Now, this doesn't mean big, bold moves don't have their place. Sometimes leadership requires a leap: a major pivot, a difficult personnel decision, a complete strategic overhaul. But here's the key: even big leaps are made up of next steps.

When we need to implement a new offensive system, we don't just throw it at the team on day one. We take steps:

1. Study the system ourselves

2. Identify which concepts fit our personnel

3. Introduce one concept in practice

4. Add complexity gradually

5. Implement in game situations

6. Adjust based on results

The big leap: changing our entire offensive identity: happens through a series of next steps.

Smart leaders assess when each approach is needed. Take next steps when you're tackling complex challenges that feel overwhelming, when stakes are high and you can't afford mistakes, or when your team needs to build confidence before bigger challenges. Take bigger leaps when the status quo is killing you, when time-sensitive opportunities arise, or when incremental change won't cut it anymore.

Making It Practical: What's Your Next Step?

Here's where philosophy meets reality. Leadership growth and career advancement don't happen through inspiration alone. They happen through action. And action starts with identifying your next step.

Ask yourself:

• What's one leadership skill I can improve this month?

• What's one difficult conversation I've been avoiding?

• What's one system or process I can optimize?

• What's one relationship I can invest in?

• What's one limiting belief I can challenge?

Don't try to answer all five. Pick ONE. That's your next step.

On our coaching staff at WVSU, we live this principle. We don't overwhelm young coaches with everything they need to learn. We help them identify the next step in their development. Master this drill. Improve that communication skill. Study this game situation. One step leads to the next, and before they realize it, they've traveled miles.

The same applies to player development. A freshman defensive back isn't worrying about All-Conference honors. He's focused on mastering press coverage this week. That's his next step. When he does, we celebrate that small win, then identify the next one. Leadership growth happens the same way: one deliberate step at a time.

The Journey Continues in March

I'm sharing these concepts in depth in "Take The Next Step," releasing this March. The book dives deeper into the psychology of incremental leadership growth, the practical frameworks for identifying your next step, and the real-world stories of leaders who transformed their careers by refusing to be paralyzed by the distance.

Because here's the truth: you're closer to your leadership potential than you think. The gap between where you are and where you could be isn't crossed in one giant leap. It's crossed one step at a time.

The question isn't whether you can become the leader you want to be. The question is: Will you take the next step?

Small wins create big gains. Next steps create transformed careers. And it all starts with the decision to move forward today, even if you can't see the entire path ahead.

What's your next step? Don't overthink it. Just take it.

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Coach John Pennington is the Head Football Coach at West Virginia State University and the author of "Take The Next Step" (releasing March 2026). Connect with him at coachjohnpennington.com or follow the WVSU Yellow Jackets Football program to see these leadership principles in action.