We all know that feeling- when you are struggling to decide, and it feels like no matter what you do, the situation will not improve. You may feel stuck in a job or with a project for work. You may even be looking for new opportunities, but nothing seems to satisfy your needs. What is the best way to move forward? With some time off and reflection! Leaders who have felt stuck in this way can find their path to progress by taking one courageous act that they would never have done before: stepping back from their role.

A powerful, courageous leadership decision — step back…

A few years back, I was two years into leading a newly formed team of exceptionally gifted Systems Engineers. They all were “experts” in their area and were responsible for architecture and design for our organization. One of my leadership strengths was forming a cohesive team and building something new. Over the course of two years, we had established ourselves, gained new skills necessary to become influencers within our organization make a positive impact.

I received praise, and my team was thriving, but I was miserable, and the team lacked a vision of the next steps. I struggled with how to take the team to the next level of growth and meet the growing demands of performance and value of this fantastic group. I was stuck, overwhelmed, and desperately trying things with mixed results.