Today, I said goodbye. It was a cheerful farewell to someone I guided this summer towards a new job. He will soon start in a new position that suits him perfectly. With that, his coaching journey is complete and successful.
We looked back together at how he had started new jobs in the past. To learn from it. And to avoid old pitfalls.
In previous jobs, it had been difficult to deal with pressure and expectations. His own expectations even more than those of the people around him. It caused insecurity, making him no longer function optimally.
Eventually, he left his employer.
A period without work can amplify uncertainty, making the next available job feel more attractive than it really is.
Looking ahead to a new role, three things can help you stay effective in a demanding environment.
Check your assumptions
We tend to remember negative experiences more strongly than ordinary or positive ones. That can make your own performance look worse to you than it does to others.
Find guidance and support
Build a small network of people who can reflect with you from a neutral position: colleagues, your manager, a mentor or someone outside your organisation.
Keep developing
Working on something that matters to you builds skills and also increases your sense of control when things feel uncertain.
Continue reading: explore career coaching, or read What is the thirties dilemma? and Always more, better and faster?.
