Wondering What's Next? Do This Consistently (Part 2 of 3)...

My last three clients that have now recently landed CXO and executive leadership positions came to me wondering, “What is next for me?”

Some of them exited voluntarily. Some of them were exited involuntarily. And they had to take a moment and get some help through “What do I want? What is next for me? What impact do I choose to have?” And then we spent the time together to refine that clarity, put a plan in place, then help them land that next role. 

I wanted to share some of the tips, tools, and strategies that were really successful for them.

Step 1: Be the observer not the judge of your emotions
If you're feeling stuck, feeling frustrated, maybe there's fear or worry wrapped in there. It's totally understandable. But what I want you to know is that there is wisdom in those emotions. Do not beat yourself up about those that can be very easy to do, but be the observer of them, not the judge. And so ask yourself if you are worried, or if you feel fear about what's next, or if you feel confused, or something like that. Take a moment and ask yourself, if that emotion were to whisper in your ear, if it was very knowledgeable, what would it teach you? So in other words, if it's fear, like fear of not finding a role, what is valuable information (such as I’m afraid of not having the income or having that next role)? If it's doubt that you may not feel qualified or maybe you're overqualified.

Step 2: What’s my next best step?
A lot of times we get paralyzed when we're in that “what's next” mode because we're thinking of something really big. Maybe you're not just looking for another role. Maybe you're looking to pivot, and you don't know what's next. Fortunately there's a proven process to figure that out. So the first step is to really process that emotion and gain wisdom from that emotion, and then ask yourself, “What is my next best step that I have control over?” Just get yourself in that forward motion. It could be something as simple as talking to someone who seems really happy and doing something that you could be interested in doing. Or, talking to a board member… talk to another executive, or what have you. But just start taking some agency, and know that you get to decide what's next. It’s not about figuring everything out, but it's just what's my next best step.

If you’re interested in being featured on the Fearless Female Leadership podcast, or you’re a leader looking to gain clarity on ‘what’s next’, how to build more cohesive and high-performing teams, and lead with greater confidence and influence, let’s have a confidential conversation.

I look forward to hearing the action steps that you're taking!

Cheering you on always!
– Sheryl