Page 31 - Free Yourself From

14 It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor

A landmark study in the Harvard Business Review, “Discovering
Your Authentic Leadership,” by Bill George, Peer Sims, Andrew
McLean, and Diana Mayer, indicates that sometimes we see leaders
continue to strive for success in tangible ways such as money, status,
or number of stock options and then the company they work for is
sold or reorganized. They lose their power or stock options, and have
no stability or true sense of identity or purpose. It is not easy to lead
our lives based on constant external pressures or expectations from
others. And sometimes we feel guilty or hesitant to say no to a new
job for fear of what others will say or do. Taking on new roles or
staying in the same one that is not aligned with who we are, what’s
important to us, or what we feel we deserve, can lead to dissatisfac-
tion, burnout, and undue stress within ourselves. No matter how suc-
cessful or on track we think we are, it is important for all of us at
some point in our career to check in and ask ourselves the sometimes
difficult question, “Where do I find happiness and fulfillment?” Are
you like the proverbial hamster spinning on the wheel and not going
anywhere, or are you engaged in a career and life that is meaningful,
brings you great satisfaction, and is aligned with your strengths, val-
ues, and career-life dreams?
Finding meaning and purpose in our career calls for becoming
self-aware, but it is not an overnight process. It requires commitment
and time for self-reflection to look honestly and deeply within your-
self and to reach out to others to gain their perspective. The latter
can be harder because others rarely see us exactly as we see our-
selves, but it’s invaluable to be able to compare the impact you’re
actually having on others to the impact you are aiming for and that
you believe you are achieving. Studies from the Center for Creative
Leadership indicate that the most common reason why executives
fail is their inability to grasp other people’s perspective. So I am
always an advocate of soliciting feedback from others—it’s a won-
derful gift executives aren’t privy to unless they ask for it.