An executive is facing unexpected challenges in a career transition. How can you help them build resilience?
Career transitions often bring unforeseen challenges. To help an executive build resilience, consider these strategies:
- Encourage a growth mindset, focusing on opportunities for learning rather than fearing failure.
- Foster a strong support network of mentors, peers, and coaches for guidance and perspective.
- Recommend mindfulness practices to manage stress and maintain mental clarity during times of change.
How do you build resilience when facing professional upheaval?
An executive is facing unexpected challenges in a career transition. How can you help them build resilience?
Career transitions often bring unforeseen challenges. To help an executive build resilience, consider these strategies:
- Encourage a growth mindset, focusing on opportunities for learning rather than fearing failure.
- Foster a strong support network of mentors, peers, and coaches for guidance and perspective.
- Recommend mindfulness practices to manage stress and maintain mental clarity during times of change.
How do you build resilience when facing professional upheaval?
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In my experience, career transitions are almost always good - even if they don't seem so at the time. It helps to be brave. Sometimes you instigate the career transition by making a big change (like moving to Australia). Sometimes you instigate the career transition because your values do not align with your boss and your company doesn't have the moral fortitude to stand up for what is right so you move on. Personally, I have experienced five career transitions - three of them instigate by me and two of them instigated by my employer. In two cases, it took me quite some time to find my next role. In all cases, my next role was better than the role I left. If you have the right values, you will be fine.
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O mais importante ao meu ver é ter a consciência que sair da zona de conforto é o que nos leva para a zona de aprendizagem. Os desafios irão surgir mas o executivo precisa se lembrar de que já superou outros desafios em momentos diferentes na sua carreira, portanto tem recursos suficientes já instalados para passar por esse momento.
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Talk to a dedicated career coach. An outside, unbiased view on what’s what is invaluable. Too many execs presume they know everything based on prior/learned best practice, when it’s limited to prior experience and industry participation. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that is typically a huge blind spot. @tim chilvers
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I would use visualization on what the person wants, goals. They can tune into the feelings, motivation, and desired outcome. Then go back to it when things get challenging, as a reminder of the direction they are taking. Finding support that is there through the changes, having someone to share the journey, feelings, and goals. Adding some fun stuff too because I see a lot of clients getting overwhelmed and exhausted. When I decided to move to the US; I had a job that I didn't like. It was very challenging and at the same time contributed to my big goal. Having moments to disconnect from work, from the big goal is so important for our mental health. It helps us have a fresh mindset, more energy, more resilience, and feel happier!
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Helping someone navigate a tough career transition? Start by encouraging them to focus on small wins to rebuild confidence. Pair that with a clear plan to address gaps and adapt to new challenges—it’s a game-changer for building resilience.
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To help an executive (and not only executives) build resilience during a career transition, guide them to: - Reflect on strengths and wins -Highlight their past successes and transferable skills to reinforce confidence. - Frame challenges as opportunities - Shift focus from problems to growth by reframing obstacles as learning experiences. - Develop a support system - Encourage them to network with mentors, peers, or support groups for guidance and encouragement. - Set manageable goals - Break the transition into smaller, achievable steps to reduce overwhelm. - Build psychological safety - Create a space where they feel safe to explore uncertainties and emotions without judgment.
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Supporting an executive in a career transition involves fostering resilience by addressing their mindset and practical strategies: 1. Encourage Self-Reflection: Help them analyze the challenges objectively. What are the learnings? What strengths can they leverage? 2. Normalize Setbacks: Emphasize that setbacks are a natural part of transitions. Share examples of other successful executives who navigated similar hurdles. 3. Reframe Challenges: Shift their perspective from “problems” to “opportunities for growth.” 4. Emotional Agility: Coach them to acknowledge and regulate emotions, avoiding impulsive reactions. 5. Clear Vision and Goals: Help define vision for the next phase of their career and set realistic, actionable goals.
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Our brains naturally resist change, but with the right mindset, challenges can become opportunities. I often ask executives to pause and reflect: “What can I learn from this?” This simple shift in thinking not only changes perspective but also taps into the brain’s problem-solving abilities, turning stress into motivation. Resilience isn’t built alone & success often relies on a strong network of mentors, peers, and trusted advisors who support, provide insight and encouragement during tough times. From my experience, many leaders also struggle with holding themselves to impossible standards. Then it means helping them practice self-compassion to quiet their inner critic, recover emotionally & come back stronger and clearer.
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Construir resiliência em momentos de turbulência profissional exige uma abordagem que integre reflexão sobre valores e metas de longo prazo, alinhando ações ao propósito, com práticas que promovam adaptabilidade e vejam desafios como oportunidades de crescimento. Estimule a autocompaixão, a celebração de pequenas conquistas e o uso de técnicas para reformular pensamentos negativos, reduzindo a autocrítica. Fortalecer a inteligência emocional, por meio da autoconsciência e comunicação empática, capacita o executivo a enfrentar as dinâmicas do trabalho com eficácia, transformando incertezas em degraus para o sucesso.
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Los retos son parte de la vida de los ejecutivos, eso lo sabemos todos pero cuando son más intensos o el nivel de incertidumbre o incomodidad es alto puede afectar al ejecutivo por desplazar sus pensamientos hacia la nostalgia de pasado o la incertidumbre del futuro no permitiendo tomar acción en el presente desde la resiliencia con experiencia y esperanza, habitualmente me corresponde lidiar con una sensación de agobio que inunda a los ejecutivos por no visualizar el problema presente y los pasos a seguir, están más focalizados en los miedos y las consecuencias donde no esta su espacio de control. Foco: ¿qué podemos hacer ahora con la información y herramientas que disponemos? ¿Donde conseguimos ayuda para superar los retos inesperados?
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