Reinvention: Burn the Old Playbook or Build a Library

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Reinvention: The Strategic Power Move

Reinventing oneself isn’t just a social media trend—it’s necessary in an era where standing still is the surest way to fall behind.

The phrase may evoke images of a phoenix rising from the ashes or the latest self-help podcast, but reinvention is less about dramatic transformation and more about strategic evolution. It’s about shedding outdated mindsets, creating a new brand, embracing growth, and ensuring your skills, vision, and leadership remain relevant.

Pop culture has repackaged this process as Main Character Energy (MCE)—a way of taking control of your narrative, elevating your presence, and ensuring you’re the architect of your story. But for leaders, reinvention is less about starring in a personal highlight reel and more about setting the tone for adaptability, resilience, and transformation. The question becomes why and how one goes about it.

The Forms of Reinvention

Reinvention isn’t one-size-fits-all. It goes by many names:

·????? Identity Evolution – Redefining how you see yourself and appear in the world.

·????? Career Change – Pivoting industries, roles, or responsibilities to align with your purpose.

·????? Skill Development – Expanding your expertise to keep pace with shifting demands.

·????? Brand Reinvention – Updating your professional or personal brand to reflect new goals.

·????? Cultural Transformation – Immersing yourself in new environments to gain fresh perspectives.

·????? Digital Reinvention – Building an online presence, leveraging technology, or rethinking how you connect in a digital-first world.

For me, Identity Evolution has been the most significant. I evolved from student to programmer to business unit leader and, in parallel, became a trusted advisor, priest, thought leader, and other fancies. The desire was for ever-evolving personal growth and demonstrating the other masks in the community. Others evolve on their path.

Reinvention isn’t about abandoning who you are—refining your identity, distilling your experiences into sharper insights, and recognizing that the best leaders continuously evolve.

The Leader’s Role in Reinvention

Leaders who resist change don’t just stagnate—they risk pulling their organizations down.

Staying relevant requires self-awareness, a willingness to question old assumptions, and the courage to evolve.

Consider the executive who clings to an outdated strategy because it once worked. They don’t just risk irrelevance; they signal their teams that adaptation is optional. The best leaders, however, embrace reinvention as a leadership competency—they model change, encourage innovation, and create a culture where evolution isn’t just accepted but expected.

The process starts at the top. When leaders demonstrate that they are works in progress, they create a ripple effect. They foster organizations where questioning the status quo isn’t seen as insubordination but as a necessary step toward progress. In doing so, they cultivate teams that aren’t just reactive but proactive—capable of navigating disruption with agility and vision.

The Path to Reinvention

Reinvention isn’t an overnight process. It requires:

·????? Radical Self-Assessment – Identifying what no longer serves you or your organization. Being ruthlessly self-aware.

·????? Clarity of Vision – Defining where you want to go and why it matters.

·????? Calculated Experimentation – Testing new ideas, skills, and approaches.

·????? A Strong Network – Surround yourself with those who challenge and support your growth.

·????? Resilience – Recognizing that reinvention isn’t linear; setbacks are disguised lessons.

Reinvention isn’t about discarding the past—it’s about integrating its lessons into a sharper, more intentional future. It’s about ensuring you don’t become the leader who mistakes comfort for progress. Nor is reinvention a foil for changing your aesthetics to appeal to a new community. ?

Although the journey of reinvention may sound daunting, it can be broken down into practical steps.

First, an honest self-assessment is essential. Examining beliefs, habits, and behaviors under a microscope helps identify what holds you back and where there is room to grow. Second, an articulated vision paints a vivid picture of your ideal future. Third, a degree of calculated experimentation allows you to test novel roles, skills, or tools without waiting for perfect conditions. Fourth, a supportive network—colleagues, mentors, and even external advisors—provides feedback and encouragement when you inevitably stumble. Lastly, reinvention requires resilience, patience, celebrating small milestones, and treating each setback as an opportunity to learn.

Reflection

What part of you—or your leadership—needs reinvention right now? And are you brave enough to make the first move before the market (or your team) forces you to?

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Onward.

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About me

When someone in the board room drops the proverbial “I know a guy…” – that’s my cue because I’m that guy.

For 30 years, I’ve enabled companies in multiple industries to drive success by uncovering new revenue opportunities, increasing market share, reducing costs, and intensifying efficiency, creating $1 billion dollars in revenue.

How? By stating the hard truths, isolating the underlying problems, and executing data-driven, specific solutions to tackle these challenges.

Also

With five million air miles and as an executive in global corporations, I bring broad cultural insights to organizations. I serve as Vice Chair of Verity’s Supervisory Committee and have five terms as a corporate and non-profit board director.

I’m an end-of-life doula serving people and their circle of care in their final days.

Want to take the conversation deeper? Contact me here: ??