Every brand wants to be a thought leader. The democratization of media — first through blogs, followed by social media — seemed to open the possibility that any brand could, provided they had something to say. But somewhere between ideation and execution, things got muddled.

Too many business leaders today are out of touch with the employees they lead. Edelman estimates that one in three employees doesn’t trust their employer — despite the fact that billions are spent every year on leadership development. Part of the problem: Our primary method of developing leaders is antithetical to the type of leadership we need.

To make it up the growth slope, we need to figure out the best route and make steady progress on the way up. That often means removing obstacles that are in our way. And today I want to talk about three huge obstacles that might be found on the path to your potential. Leaving them there will slow or even stop your growth progress. Removing them can free you to run toward your growth goals.

There's a little secret behind the door of every successful company, entrepreneur, and executive. One that few like to talk about, one that most prefer to keep hidden: Failure. It's the decision that didn't pan out as planned. The hire you were sure was a perfect fit but wasn't. The choices you made that didn't produce the outcome you aimed for, or calculated. It's an ugly truth--one that lurks in every business--that we all wish didn't exist.

The MPW Insiders Network is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for, "What advice would you give to women who hope to make it to the C-suite?" is written by Marillyn Hewson, chairman, president, and CEO of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.