Growth when "up" isn't an option.
“How do I keep growing when “up” is not an option right now?”
Just last week, three of my social impact leadership coaching clients were focused on this topic. As ambitious high-achievers, they’ve risen quickly through their organizations. They’re highly motivated, with a deep commitment to social impact and are working on some of the world’s most pressing issues. That passion and purpose have been rewarded with significant responsibility and exciting work portfolios.
But they’re feeling stuck: torn between their internal motivation to keep pushing themselves and the variety of external circumstances that mean that moving up to the next level isn’t a viable (or the best) option right now.
Sometimes, upward growth isn’t possible because there just aren’t any roles at your organization. Maybe you have an impact team of one (or two!), and the org doesn’t have more senior job titles for this function because they are still early on in their impact journey. Or maybe there’s a weird organizational structure that doesn’t offer many opportunities for upward mobility. Growth here might look like exploring opportunities to join cross-functional teams at your organization (bringing in an impact lens!), or getting involved with an employee resource group (ERG). Joining a professional society could be a great option, too, helping to boost your visibility and grow your network, and enabling you to lend your considerable skills to a larger community.
Or maybe upward growth isn’t happening because it’s not the right time for you. Maybe you’re anticipating taking some time off for family leave, or you’re navigating a busy season in your personal life. You may recognize that stability and consistency are what you really need right now, but haven’t yet figured out how to reconcile that with a view of growth that always involves more. Growth here might look like focusing on confidence and leadership skills to get more comfortable with not constantly moving on to the next thing (something that’s often easier said than done!). Or maybe it looks like developing stronger boundaries so you can free up bandwidth and redefine your approach to work.
Resistance to pursuing the “next level” might also indicate that you’re not feeling sure about where you even want to go from here. Maybe you can see an option that could be next, but you’re not confident you actually want that. Or maybe there are other things you’re interested in exploring, and you’re worried that continuing to move forward in the direction you’re heading will bring you farther away from those opportunities. This is really common for high potential leaders whose excellence has been recognized by others – you may keep getting new opportunities, but not have much time to evaluate whether they’re the right fit for you. In this case, your focus might be on determining how you’d be able to “tell” that you were moving in the right direction for you. What would shift about your day-to-day if you felt more confident about this? How might you generate more options? One pitfall to avoid? Not getting stuck in research overload – clarity comes from action, not from over-thinking.
It’s tempting to think of growth in plant terms – a seedling getting taller and more robust over time. It’s a linear, easy-to-measure approach . But if we take a more expansive view of growth, we can consider what it looks like to grow deeper, not just taller. This might mean grounding ourselves and growing deeper leadership roots, instead of focusing on blooming (with a more tenuous connection below the surface.) The result? A more stable plant that’s more resilient to changing circumstances. Or, in non-botanical terms, this might mean a renewed approach to your work, feeling less frustrated and more confident that you’re continuing to develop in ways that serve your larger goals.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to consider a few questions for reflection:
What’s your current approach to growth, and how is it serving you?
What opportunities might redefining growth open up for you?
Need help redefining growth? Whether you're looking to get more comfortable with keeping things stable, or you’re feeling unsure about what you even want growth to look like, leadership coaching can help shift things by offering new strategies, perspectives, and connections. Set up a time to chat here.