It's exciting and uncomfortable

Welcome to the Strategic Leader newsletter! In each edition, I give you a perspective, resource (e.g. a tool, framework), and a recommendation (for a book, article, talk, service, or person).

If we haven’t met yet, thank you for joining me! You can learn a little more about me here and by watching this short video .

Perspective

More and more of us are contemplating new careers. Some by necessity, some by choice. Making the transition is hardly ever easy.

I should know.

Losing my title – partner – and company name felt like losing part of me; I had to learn a new language and develop new identity. At times I felt lost, unsettled, anxious, wondering whether I’d made the right move or not. I was leaving behind something I knew well and was successful at. I was told repeatedly that I was being courageous – code for being ‘stupid’ or at least foolhardy.

But I was also excited about the prospect of exploring new spaces, opportunities, and people in a world outside the bubble I was living in. I was intrigued about where it would take me and who I would become. I was impatient to try something new, be challenged, and tap into what truly played to my strengths.

I don’t regret that decision. In fact, I wished I had made it sooner.

I was fortunate to have a group of people around me who supported me with ideas, challenge, and encouragement. At my side was a book called Working Identity, written by Prof. Herminia Ibarra of the London Business School. You may know of it or even used it. It’s short, straightforward, radical, and powerful.

I invited Herminia to share her wisdom after her recent update of the book. This is what she shared as tips:

• Prioritise action over overthinking.
• Practise an iterative approach to exploration. ?
• Experiment with different roles to discover what you are truly interested in, whether skills or situations.
• Build and use networks to help you explore new paths and challenge your emerging story.
• Keep an eye of maintaining stability (e.g., in your current role, relationships) while you explore the new.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Resource

Meetings matter more as we reduce the prominence in our schedule. Especially the big ones - with a Board, Executive Committee, or investor. They’re high stakes moments. Get it right and you come out with your reputation - prospects - enhanced. Make a wrong move or look underprepared, and others question your capability and credibility. It’s a topic that features in my work, a lot, even for experienced, and successful C-Suite executives.

I’m looking to develop an online course in which I share my tips for how to master big meetings from more than 25 years of experience and research. Help me design it by answering this questionnaire .

Those of you who do will receive a free strategic meeting canvas to help you design your big meetings.        

There’s a lot of uncertainty in high-stakes moments like this. How people will show up, whether they will show at all, where the conversation will go, what it will lead to, and how you will come across to others. I wrote a recent HBR article on how to reframe uncertainty – whether in a meeting, your career, or organisation – through a lens of opportunity.

Recommendation

Developing a clear vision of who you want to become is a critical part of the journey I described. I’ve admired the work of Caterina Kostoula , founder of Leaderpath, for some time.

She talks about creating a ‘life that sets your soul on fire.’ She writes eloquently on the subject on LinkedIn. I highly recommended the?retreats and programmes ?she offers to help develop your vision. Her TEDx talk ‘Do your goals prevent your success?’ has been viewed nearly half a million times already. It’s well worth watching too! ? I was delighted to meet her in person for the first time while on holiday in Costa Rica, where she is living with her family - yes, she practises what she preaches.?

How would you really like to reach out to – and meet – to help you think about future possibilities?

As Jacob Bronowski said:

"Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty."

Wishing you well,

David.

P.S.?Share your advice on how to make this newsletter better to [email protected] along with any resources you’d like me to share

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Thank you for reading this edition of the Strategic Leader newsletter. I hope you found it insightful and useful. Here are some ways to access further perspectives, tips, and resources:

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• Check out my services for strategic leaders.