The Golden Trap of Experience: When Knowing Too Much Leads to Stagnation
In recent executive coaching sessions, I have encountered leaders who, with genuine honesty, have shared their feeling that there is “little left to learn.”
When working with seasoned clients in executive coaching, it is common to come across cognitive biases such as “experience blindness” or “confirmation bias,” both of which can limit openness to learning and professional growth.
This happens because, after years in the same environment, the brain becomes adept at creating shortcuts and routines that streamline decision-making and problem-solving. However, this very efficiency can become an invisible barrier: familiarity with processes and the certainty of “already knowing” often foster resistance to change—especially among those who could inspire it the most.
Herein lies the paradox: these individuals are true experts, yet, often unknowingly, they stop questioning their own assumptions. When we cease to mobilize what we know, learning stagnates and experience becomes invisible to others.
Does this sound familiar?
From a coaching perspective, my approach focuses on creating a safe yet challenging space where clients can explore these patterns and open themselves to new possibilities.
If you have ever felt that your experience could offer more, or know someone who is at this crossroads, perhaps it is time to take the next step and allow your knowledge to move forward again. Evolution begins when we dare to step out of autopilot and return to a learner’s mindset—even as experts.
