Happy Sunday, Reader,
I hope you are easing into the day and finding a little time for yourself before the week begins.
There is a particular kind of career advice that can be difficult to sort through. It comes from someone we respect, contains part of the truth, and still does not fully account for what we may be capable of becoming.
Early in my career, my boss told me that he did not believe my personality was suited for HR. He knew me as his Executive Assistant, and his assessment reflected the version of me he had experienced in that role.
Because I trusted our relationship and valued his directness, I stayed in the conversation. Part of his feedback was useful. I needed more knowledge, preparation, and experience. His conclusion about the limits of my personality, however, was based on abilities he had not yet needed to see.
The developmental opportunity that followed eventually changed the direction of my career.
In this week’s blog, I share more about that conversation, what I did with the opportunity, and how the experience influenced the way I later evaluated talent as a leader.
If We Were Sitting Together Today
If you told me that someone you respected had questioned your next move, I would not encourage you to dismiss the feedback or begin building a case to prove the person wrong.
I would remind you that advice is shaped by what the other person has observed, what they value, and what they believe will protect or advance you. Their perspective may identify something important. It may also be based on a role, season, or version of you that does not represent your full range.
You do not have to decide in the moment how much authority their opinion should carry. You can receive it with composure, consider the evidence beneath it, and return to what you know about your experience, preparation, and direction.
A meaningful opportunity may still require development. You may need to strengthen a skill, gain exposure, accept a smaller first step, or demonstrate your ability in a new context. None of those requirements automatically determines the limit of where you can eventually go.
If you need language for a conversation like this, you might say:
"Thank you for being direct. I want to consider what I may need to develop and what I may still need an opportunity to demonstrate."
That response leaves room for useful feedback while keeping you engaged in the decision about your future.
For the Week Ahead
Someone may offer an opinion about your next step this week. A recruiter may direct you toward the position that most closely resembles your previous title. A colleague may recommend the path that worked for her. A leader may evaluate your potential through the responsibilities you currently hold.
Listen for what is useful, but remember that most people can only evaluate the version of you they have had the opportunity to see.
You do not need to enter the week prepared to defend every capability or explain your entire future. Preparation, consistent work, thoughtful questions, and a willingness to learn will say more over time than an immediate attempt to change someone’s mind.
Your next chapter may begin with a promotion. It may begin with a developmental assignment, a new conversation, or an opportunity that initially appears smaller than the one you imagined. What matters is whether it gives you meaningful information, valuable experience, and room to demonstrate more of what you can do.
Over the coming weeks, we will continue exploring how experienced women decide what comes next in a changing workplace, including where career advice and technology can help and where personal judgment remains essential.
If you are sorting through several opinions, career possibilities, and changing priorities, a 90-minute Clarity Session offers focused space to identify the decision underneath the uncertainty and determine the next step that fits your life now.
If today's newsletter brought someone to mind, forward it to her. She can subscribe to The Clarity Note and join us for the next conversation.
