Career growth often happens organically, but it does not occur automatically. Natural junctures for change happen, but it is up to you to recognize and capitalize on them. If you have leadership ambitions, you must pair thoughtful reflection with strategic action. I’ve seen individuals stagnate by staying put in a role too long. Others pivot at the wrong time, moving capriciously from one position to the next.
How can you tell when it’s time to pursue additional opportunities? I have found that there are four characteristics that reflect aptitude for advancement.
Restlessness
One initial indicator that you may be ready for a leadership position is that you feel unsatisfied in your current role. The work that you used to find immersive now feels stale. You are distracted by inefficiencies in the current workflow of your department. You are full of ideas of how things could be approached more effectively.
This signal comes with a significant caveat. For some employees, their aspirations for advancement boil down to resentment. They have a sense that they could run things better, with endless variations on the theme, “I think my boss is incompetent.” Your aspirations cannot be driven solely by discontent. There can be a healthy function of frustration. Dissatisfaction can alert you that you are not being adequately challenged. However, there is a key difference between restlessness and bitterness. Acrimony is not productive. Be attuned to the message of discontent without allowing it to fester and sour.
Accomplishment
If you are emerging from a season of success and growth, it can demonstrate that you are ready for a new challenge. It may seem counterintuitive that if things are going well at your current job, it could be the perfect time for a change. However, like an athlete in training, as you hone your skills, you are ready to push yourself even further.
Cheryl Hyatt is a founding partner and CEO of Hyatt – Fennell, Executive Search Plus and President and owner of The Charitable Resources Group, Inc.
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