When the Road Ahead is Daunting, Look at How Far You've Come

Do any of these scenarios resonate with you?

·         You’ve just been promoted to a role you’ve coveted for 3 years and now the weight of your responsibilities feels like a load of bricks.

·         You are scheduled to deliver your first major presentation at a company-wide meeting and are paralyzed by the very idea.

·         You’ve just been charged with developing a full new product line and your normally active creativity level has gone dry, realizing how many people are relying on your ideas.

·         You’ve just been let go from the employer you’ve been with for the past 10 years and the thought of beginning a job search is completely overwhelming.

 Facing challenges like these can feel like looking straight up the steep face of a looming mountain!

I’m not a mountain climber myself, but I expect that “don’t look down” may be one of the mantras for a successful climb. In business and career management, however, I would argue that the opposite is often true.  There are times when looking back at how far you’ve come can be the best way of helping you to get unstuck and move forward again.

I’ve noticed a common pattern of clients losing their momentum shortly after receiving a promotion at work.  Marissa* comes to mind.  Marissa was a high-achieving Account Representative who received numerous awards and accolades for her accomplishments.  She’s normally a very confident and forward-looking individual who eagerly seeks the next challenge.  When recently promoted to the role of Regional Manager, however, she found herself losing traction. After being so successful for many years, she was suddenly faced with an awareness that she didn’t know exactly what to do.  What new behaviours would she need to adopt?  What would her direct reports be looking for from her leadership?

Before Marissa could move boldly forward in her new role, it was important for her to spend some dedicated time reflecting on her strengths, past accomplishments and acknowledging specifically why she had been selected for the role.  This reflection helped her to regain her confidence in the face of her new responsibilities.

Transitioning to a new level of leadership can feel like climbing a mountain of rock and as you reach a certain altitude, suddenly finding yourself with ice beneath your feet.  It’s important to re-ground yourself, adjust to the new surface and get a strong foothold before continuing the climb.

 In reflecting on this theme, I am also reminded of Jacque*, who contacted me to help him prepare for an interview for a job he had his heart set-on.  The role was clearly a significant stretch for him, due to his limited supervisory experience.  He was also aware that the other candidates were very experienced managers.  Jacque was clearly intimidated by how difficult it would be for him to convince the hiring manager that he was ready for the position.   

In my coaching with Jacque, we role-played various interview questions, which he found helpful.  As the real interview date came closer, however, he became more nervous about having all the right answers.  In the end, what had the most positive impact on Jacque’s interview performance was the time we spent talking about his unique talents and how far he has already come in his career.

We looked at the many different occasions where Jacque had been put into situations for the first time and how he had been resourceful in finding ways to gain the knowledge he needed.  We talked about how he had leveraged his support system and relied on mentors. We then discussed ways he could replicate these approaches at the new company.  Once he had a clear picture of how he had successfully handled similar situations in the past, Jacque gained the confidence he needed to put his best foot forward. 

In the interview, Jacque was very direct about acknowledging that the position would be a big step-up for him.  He then talked about his previous track record of navigating through unknown situations that required him to stretch his skills. In doing so, Jacque demonstrated self-awareness and provided evidence to the hiring manager that he was already equipped with strategies for success in the new position. Jacque became the hands-down choice over the more seasoned candidates. 

 OVER TO YOU for a self-reflection exercise….

I encourage you to set aside some time over the next week to acknowledge how far you’ve already come.  How can this help you to move ahead?  

 I’m interested in hearing your stories of how looking back at how far you’ve come has supported you in your career and life.  Send me an email to sue@development-by-design.com

* all names and identifying details have been changed to protect client confidentiality