Some career opportunities are wrapped in gold leaf and hand-delivered on a silver-platter. Don’t let one of these precious invitations slip through your fingers. There are no guarantees you’ll remain on the invitee list.
These invitations show up in different forms:
- The gigantic problem that the boss has asked you to run point on solving.
- The new opportunity in uncharted waters that she would like you to explore and define.
- An invitation to participate in strategy work.
- An opportunity to lead a team (for the first time).
- An organization-impacting systems implementation.
- Creation of an all-new role in the department.
These are career changing and sometimes career-making offers. And yes, the new adventure might seem intimidating and even frightening. The healthiest growth comes through exploration and confronting fear is just part of the journey.
Some people hesitate upon receiving the invitation to “new” and in this moment of hesitation, doubt and insecurity set up camp and occupy a disproportionate amount of space in their minds.
Know that the boss selected you because she believes in your ability to grow into the role. She sees something in you that perhaps you don’t see in yourself. She’s looking for a way for you to prove to yourself and to everyone else how good you are. The invitation is given in good faith based on her belief in your abilities.
The Bottom-Line for Now:
Beware hesitating too long. Invitations to growth come with an expiration date.
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More Professional Development Reads from Art Petty:
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