During those years of my life, when I would work for the top noted leading names in the healthcare sector, I was part of a project that was simple, but cumbersome and required lot of follow up and networking along various service lines.
The methodical me was very happy with the work, as it involved order, process and systems, some of my very personal favorite concepts and a deep need to put things back in order and restoration. There were times when the project would stretch over weekends and sometimes that include Sunday and also holidays, where I would be working on behalf of all those colleagues of mine (who perhaps were experiencing life) while I was trying to find the same through my work.
I was quite sure that my appraisals and my round the clock work will easily qualify me to the next tier level both in compensation and hierarchy, moving me to a Leadership role!
but despite the hard work, and going above and beyond the call of duty, I remained stuck, being overlooked and for granted.
I blamed the dirty “Office Politics” and the unfair world I inherited. While the reality was something else.
It took a while for me to understand what was not working.
And therefore,
If like me you are going above and beyond, yet find yourself struggling to move forward into leadership roles.
I suggest you immediately stop this chase and do the following
1.Pause and ask yourself what do you really really want ?
2.Define what it means when you say to yourself, I’m looking for depth or meaningful work? or I want to move into leadership role.
be specific
{when I wrote a very detailed answer to this question, I was taken aback by my own response, so spent some time here, it’s worth every minute!}
3.Listen to the answers without any censor from the inside you (remember all answers are inside us) while we keep looking for it outside everywhere. Pay attention to if there’s something you are trying to deny.
In my case, it turns out, the escape I sought from my complicated personal issues were the main reason for me to turn into a workaholic, which was a futile attempt to work nonstop but not performing at the next level, read that again, there’s a huge difference between the two.
I was not trying to find depth but was trying to escape the depth that stared into my eye, and I was trying to deny!
I could not play this game any longer and remain stuck with no success whatsoever at my professional front, which further added to my agony and series of failures.
It was only through deep self-reflection, which assisted me unstuck from this rigmarole of career stagnation and it started from answering the above 3 questions.
If I can so, can you.
And if you feel, you need support as you reflect ,you can reach me here
More power to you.
© Mehnaz Amjad 2017-2025
Mehnaz Amjad | Coach
Hyderabad, India