As people develop competence in a new domain of expertise, they move along an S Curve: Growth is slow and effortful at the outset, or launch point. It then progresses rapidly as people acquire new skills in a stretch known as the sweet spot. At the peak is mastery, when work becomes easier but the curve flattens. Understanding where your employees are on this S Curve of Learning will help you coach them appropriately, craft thoughtful succession plans, and build a team with diverse but complementary strengths. The S Curve is a tool that smart managers use to launch conversations with their reports and develop tailored development plans for them. It reveals when people are ready for bigger challenges--something that's especially critical when they're in mastery, which may mean they're getting restless and need to jump to a new S Curve. Often the employees don't even realize they're ready to take the leap, but their managers push them anyway. When that happens, it's key to surround an employee with the right supporting team. A good team will include members from all phases of the curve, who can contribute diverse perspectives and skills.

Volatility in an industry should concern not only the companies within it but also the people who work for them. To stay ahead of developments that may disrupt your professional life, you must make two evidence-based diagnoses: How volatile is your industry? And what explains the volatility? The answers will equip you to disrupt your own career preemptively

Disruptive innovation has been a pioneering concept in business since 1995. Johnson, a founding partner at Clay Christensen's investment firm, explains how you can apply disruptive thinking--responsible for the success of many products, companies, and even countries--to your own career. Using the stories of highly successful personal innovators, including herself, she articulates four principles of self-disruption: 1) Target a need that can be met more effectively. Playing in a market where no one else is or wants to be might mean leaving your comfortable career perch for an amorphous role. But it will enable you to head off the competition and could generate rewards you'd never envisioned. 2) Identify your disruptive strengths. Think about what you do exceptionally well that most others can't. Then use that discovery to make an innovative transition. 3) Step back (or sideways) in order to grow. Personal growth can stall at the top of a classic S curve. Avoid that problem by jumping to a new plane and putting yourself on an entirely different growth trajectory. 4) Let your strategy emerge. Don't hesitate to be flexible and inductive in your approach to personal innovation. Disrupters take a step forward, gather feedback, and adapt accordingly.

Seven CEOs, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists tell stories of personal failures-and what they learned from them. Doug Rauch, a former president of Trader Joe's, admits to being a "control-aholic" and recounts how his micromanagement hindered the chain's East Coast expansion. Linda Rottenberg talks about her mantra, "Go big, or go home," and how she made the call to close her business in India. Anthony Tjan describes the ups and downs of his start-up when the irrationally exuberant dot-com boom went bust. Roger McNamee frankly discusses his failed bid to change the world. Wayne Pacelle, head of the Humane Society, talks about the importance of closing the deal. Peter Guber recounts a life-changing experience with Muhammad Ali. Whitney Johnson looks back on her first venture: investing in a friend's dream. Dave Strubler, a mountain climber and business professor reflects on making it almost to the top.