Bloom Where You're Planted
In the middle of the pandemic, a client of mine, Lola, was recruited for a prominent C-suite role. She took her time in responding — evaluating all the critical factors (and asking the key questions) that would help her deduce if this decision was a good fit for her skillset, and for the growth she was seeking. Once those questions were answered, she accepted the role, confident that it would present compelling challenges and support her growth.
Fast forward six months. That glimmer in her eye was gone. The role wasn’t living up to what she had expected or longed for. She was spending most of her time on work that wasn’t stretching her. And the work that did stretch her, she didn’t love.
Together, we dug in — disentangling the various components of her role to better understand what was driving these feelings. Where was this job meeting expectations? Where was it coming up short? As we worked through it, Lola noticed that the aspects of the job she believed were most ripe for growth at the time she accepted were still indeed ripe. And the aspects that had turned out to be less compelling, didn’t spoil the rest. Ultimately, Lola reconnected with the opportunity that was right in front of her. Instead of being disappointed by what hadn’t manifested in this role, she was able to refocus on what was actually present and reframe it as an empowering moment for her career. In the process, she landed on the perfect phrase to describe it. This was a moment to “bloom where you’re planted.” To make the most of this moment.
This phrase rang true again where a senior leader at a recently acquired company was contemplating whether to transition to the new company or not. Here’s how we approached it:
Focus on what you know about the opportunity (there will always be uncertainty in any change).
Zero in on what you like about the role and the compelling opportunities to grow.
Evaluate whether there are enough of those elements in #2 to give it a go!
If yes, go for it: Bloom where you’re planted.
I remember listening to a podcast a few years ago where Glennon Doyle was asked for her advice on helping people build their following and influence. Her response felt salty and rebellious in the context of the episode, and has stuck with me. She said: “serve the community you have.” It’s another angle of the same idea. Digging in here, to what’s present and most impactful right now. It can be easier said than done. So many of us are compelled to consistently look for what’s next. But people like Lola and Glennon remind us to focus on what's right in front of us first, rather than fixate on what might come next.
And so, I’m curious: what’s one way you can bloom where you’re planted?
