Most leadership development strategies sound great on paper. They’re big. They’re brash. And they often rely on explosive, perfect moments of change. Unfortunately, these moments are hard to come by in the real world, and there’s much more power in small but significant progress.

So, when the proverbial hits the fan, these kinds of leadership development strategies don’t quite cut the mustard.

In this article, we’ll explore a leadership development strategy that’s not big or flashy but rooted in consistency and results. We’ll also examine how taking the time to make deliberate improvements can help you do more as a leader.

But first, anyone for a spot of tennis?

Leadership Lessons from Novak Djokovic 

If you can imagine, there was a time when Novak Djokovic wasn’t even in the top 100 male tennis players. He wasn’t blowing minds on the court or doing anything particularly headline-worthy, but he was doing was one thing that others weren’t:

Consistently improving.

Because of this, between 2004 and 2016, Djokovic went from winning 49% of his points to 55%. Doesn’t sound like much of a margin, but it launched him to superstardom and the number one spot in the world. He also became a millionaire, so, not too shabby!

Of course, leaders aren’t usually tennis stars, and we don’t expect you to hit 160mph aces or sign up for Wimbledon. However, this story teaches us the power of marginal gains, and how consistently improving by even a small amount can have life-changing results.

So, there’s much to learn from Novak Djokovic for leaders. Much more than you’ll learn from so called leadership development strategies, anyway…

The Problem with Leadership Development Strategies

As you probably know, the leadership world is full of silver bullets. Crash courses, motivational slogans, retreats that cost an arm and a leg, all that jazz. Unfortunately, these strategies tend to focus on one-off miraculous moments, rather than consistency, which is why they usually don’t work out.

This is because, as we discuss in Episode 19 of the Stop Managing, Start Leading podcast; real development doesn’t come from doing one thing 100% perfectly. It comes from doing 100 things 1% better.

Don’t get us wrong, this is hard to master, especially when things don’t feel like they’re going in the right direction. That’s where the Commitment Curve comes into view. Let’s dig deeper.

The Commitment Curve and When Not to Quit

When you aren’t seeing the progress that you want to and the progress curve looks flat, you’re usually left with two choices.

1. You stop what you’re doing and give up on your progress.
2. You keep moving forward and keep on putting in the work.

This is called the Commitment Curve, and it’s the moment right before exponential growth. It’s just before things start to click, but unfortunately, it’s when most leaders quit and miss out.

Let’s go back to Djokovic. He didn’t stop when his own Commitment Curve looked flat. He kept going, improving his footwork, his technique, and his mindset, and doing it all every day. This is how he took his win rate from 49% to 55% and took over the world of tennis.

Even if it took him over a decade to do it.

So, the best leaders are more Djokovic than you might think, because they keep on going when improvement feels invisible and when the curve looks flat. Why do they do it? Because they understand the power of perseverance and consistently doing the often-unrewarding, seemingly small work.

The 1% Leadership Development Strategy That Works

Marginal gains teach us how you can go from good to great, and how small, deliberate improvements can create monumental shifts.

And these shifts don’t come from delivering the perfect speech or strategy in every meeting. They come from preparing a little bit more every day, doing the right things when times are tough, and being honest with yourself about your progress.

These kinds of changes aren’t dramatic or headline news, but they’re incredibly effective in their consistency. Most importantly, stacking them up every day can truly transform your leadership capabilities and get real, long-lasting results.

How Leadership Journaling Plays its Part

Often as a leader, growth feels invisible. That’s why you need a tool to remind you that it’s really happening, which is where leadership journaling enters the chat. It’s not just a moment of pause to reflect, but a way to measure progress, clarify your intentions, and stay the course when the curve looks flat.

Here are some simple leadership journaling prompts to keep your 1% strategy alive:

1. What did I do 1% better today, compared to yesterday?
2. What felt difficult, but I did it anyway?
3. What will improve by 1% tomorrow?

It’s not about being intense, it’s about being intentional, which is how you turn small wins into big change.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait for Breakthroughs as a Leadership Development Strategy

Breakthroughs aren’t as common as you may think in leadership. In fact, they’re pretty rare. Deliberate improvement, however, is available to you every day.

So, keep racking up those small wins and stay as disciplined as possible. You’ll see improvements if you wait long enough and do the work. Trust us.

And of course, it isn’t easy, and it requires patience, clarity, and the drive to show up when nobody’s watching. But that’s how to drive real change and see the big results you’re yearning for.

Find Out More and Mold Your Leadership Development Strategy

In Episode 19 of the Stop Managing, Start Leading podcast, we discuss the power of 1% and marginal gains in more detail, as well as the nuances of the Commitment Curve.

And finally, you can access our 31 days of complimentary leadership journal prompts to help you lead with more intention and grow.