Management Perspectives

Developing a simultaneous lens on world-class leadership and the pursuit of career satisfaction is a challenge for many. Especially in this disrupted world, the tendency is to skew toward burnout, overwhelm, and fall short of our professional potential. In Your Finest Work, I have crystallised a simple framework of focus areas that make the difference between having what you want and missing the mark. Here, she debunks a few myths that keep managers stuck, and the antidotes to thrive in your role and your career.

MYTH 1: If you work hard, you will get ahead.

Many of us expect our good work to speak for itself. We anticipate accessing desired opportunities by putting our heads down and working hard. Then, we are surprised when we are not promoted, recognised for our good work, or given the work assignments we want. Professionals often come to me for coaching, convinced that they need to move into a new job or organisation to get ahead. That may be the case, but often it is possible to achieve more of what you want in your current situation by becoming your career’s intentional architect. This simply requires taking the reins of your career, proactively collaborating with your leaders and peers to make them aware of your accomplishments, and progressively breaking down obstacles between you and your desired outcomes. If this feels like bragging, the solution is to reframe it as being of service to your organisation, team, and stakeholders. The first step is to hold regular one-on-ones with your boss, building into the agenda a regular discussion of your career goals and development.

MYTH 2: Emotional intelligence is innate, not learned.

With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the work landscape is changing rapidly. As we navigate this disruptive decade, our value as workers is changing from one of possessing content expertise to harnessing technology to make nuanced decisions that provide productive outcomes. Increasingly, empathy and the ability to communicate in a nuanced way are essential for leadership and career success. The fallacy is that you are either born emotionally intelligent or you’re not. The reality is that even if you’re naturally focused on tasks, logic, and analysis, you can learn to notice subtleties in interactions with those in a position of influence. You simply need to develop the tools to do it well. The easiest place to start is to learn about the different personality styles, how each approaches their work, their values, and how to create win-win outcomes. Then you can focus on fine-tuning your powers of observation to notice and respond to the needs of those around you. My favourite tool for this is the DiSC assessment, which provides an easy-to-understand inventory of key drivers of each style and how to recognise them and communicate effectively. To build your emotional intelligence (EQ) muscle, shift your attention from simply performing tasks to attending to your stakeholders’ energy in interactions. By paying attention in this way, you can speak to the unspoken needs and solve issues at their root.

MYTH 3: Networking is only important when you are looking for a job.

Networking is often viewed as difficult or time-consuming. Especially for introverts and those who feel overwhelmed, networking is deprioritised unless it’s part of a job or career transition. The reality is that networking is most valuable when you are not looking for a job. Why? Establishing connections in your organisation and external network pays dividends by broadening your base of support. Regular networking conversations with colleagues keep you informed, help mitigate risks, and boost your influence. The solution is quite easy: create a template for the conversations, then refine and co-create the agenda with each person to be mutually beneficial. This way, your conversations are of service to those you are networking with while providing you with insights and

MYTH 4: Mistakes will kill your career.

All of us encounter career steps that feel like mistakes. When we are fixated on a past experience, it can hinder our progress. To fix this, the energy needs to be released, like how a tea kettle whistles when the water heats up. The solution involves three steps: 1) forgiving ourselves, 2) figuring out the lessons from the experience, and 3) resolving any open issues to the degree that we can. By following these three steps, it moves from feeling intractable to feasible. Similarly, if your next career phase feels like it does not fit the optics of what others consider correct or logical, it can be paralysing. As an executive career strategist, I assure you there’s always a way to frame your choices that makes sense to you and your network. The trick is to follow your internal compass and to define your own North Star. By identifying and making decisions to maximise alignment with your non-negotiables, you grow your capacity to message how your decision makes sense, both to yourself and others.

MYTH 5: Every issue I face at work can be solved with more effort.

When transitioning into leadership, it is tempting to use the playbook that helped you succeed as an individual contributor, which is usually centered on personal excellence with minimal collaboration. Instead, the playbook for leadership must be updated to amplify others’ strengths in service of organisational goals. This change can be challenging and ego-bruising, especially as it demands relinquishing control and some uncertainty. As responsibilities expand, micromanaging every detail can lead to burnout, making leading even harder. The remedy lies in developing a new playbook, an important part of which is to fill your tank. This includes finding ways to rejuvenate your energy while simultaneously reducing your effort. You need to continually connect with your higher nature and your potential and be discerning in task delegation. Integrating energy-boosting practices, such as exercise, clear work boundaries, and pursuing enjoyable hobbies, are vital components. The leadership playbook includes understanding that your value is best applied by unlocking your team’s potential while removing obstacles. Collaboratively define project objectives, establish feedback loops, set outcome expectations, and secure alignment on support mechanisms. Optimise one-on-ones to empower your team to manage their agendas effectively. Over time these practices become ingrained habits both for you and those you lead. Most people make things harder than they need to be; when you boil it down, paying attention and placing concerted effort in these areas enables you to enjoy a career — and leadership style — that truly hums. Following the practices and tactics outlined here is a good start to ensure you are walking every day into more of your finest work.