Empowering Women to Take Ownership of Their Careers
It had been less than one month since I’d started a new position with a new company. It didn’t take long for me to realize it was a poor fit. My expectations of the position did not align with the expectations of the owner. Our leadership styles clashed. Big time. So, after less than 3 weeks, I requested a meeting with Darrell. I sat across from him at his desk both nervous and excited for a change.
“I don’t think this will come as a surprise to you,” I started, “This is not working, and I’ve accepted an offer to return to my previous company. I am turning in my two weeks’ notice effective today.”
I was right. He was not surprised.
“You can leave now,” was his only response. As scary as it was to sit across from him and receive the abrupt termination, I let out an internal breath of relief. This was the last day, last hour, last minute I had to endure this uncomfortable relationship.
While it’s difficult to leave, or be asked to leave, a company, I didn’t find myself in this situation by sheer chance. Even though I was angry with Darrell and the way he’d interacted with me, I had to take ownership of my decisions. I had initiated this position with his company. I had vetted him and accepted the position. I made many choices that led to my brief and unhappy tenure.
Reflecting on my experience, I realized the importance of self-awareness and accountability in navigating one’s career path.
In today’s workplace, women are making significant strides, but challenges remain. Empowering yourself to take ownership of your career involves making informed choices, recognizing your current position, and developing introspective skills.
Owning Your Choices
Making deliberate career decisions aligned with your values and goals is essential. Just because a company or manager likes you does not mean you’ll be a great fit for the position. Get honest with yourself about your own values and the type of environment where you flourish.
- Identify Your Values: Understand what matters most to you—financial security, work-life balance, creativity, autonomy, or impact.
- Understand Others’ Expectations: Don’t assume you and your team are aligned. Ask questions about expectations to make sure you’re rowing in the same direction.
- Make Informed Decisions: Gather information, weigh pros and cons, and trust your instincts when making career choices. When something feels “off”, there’s usually a reason for it. Spend the time to dig deeper into anything that gives reason for pause.
Recognizing Where You Are Now
You wake up every day with choices to make. While you may feel trapped in your current situation, it’s important to understand what choices, big and small, are available to you.. Assessing your current situation helps in planning your next steps.
- Conduct a Self-Assessment: Reflect on your achievements, skills, and lessons learned. I love a 2 x 2 matrix that helps categorize things that you both love and are great at. If you’d like more information on this, reach out to me at [email protected]
- Seek Feedback: Get insights from peers and mentors to identify areas for improvement.
- Acknowledge Your Challenges: Recognize and understand the obstacles you face. In every obstacle there is a choice: the internal choice of how you feel, and the external choice of how you react. Even when you don’t feel like you have the freedom to make big changes, you always have opportunities for choice. I love this Viktor Frankl quote:
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.
Developing Introspective Skills
Regular self-reflection can lead to deeper insights and personal growth.
- Practice Mindfulness: Use meditation or journaling to stay grounded and focused. Often this practice leads to insights that can inform our next best choice.
- Set Aside Reflection Time: Regularly reflect on your experiences and decisions. Owning your decisions, whether it’s for comfort or risk, is the first step in growth.
- Embrace Continuous Learning: Stay open to new experiences and be willing to adapt. Learning does not happen from experience alone; learning happens from the reflection we have on our experiences.
Conclusion
Empowering yourself to take ownership of your career is an ongoing process. By making informed choices, recognizing your current position, and developing introspective skills, you can navigate your career path with clarity and confidence. Your career is a journey of growth—embrace it with an open mind and resilient spirit.
