Dr. Sharon Hull has spent a lifetime in the space of career transitions, first her own, and now as an Executive Coach specialized in helping others navigate successful career transitions. She has a powerful way of holding space for others who are reflecting on this often difficult and complex process. 

This episode of the She Knows ShiFt! Podcast is so full of valuable information for those who are thinking about a transition or deeply involved in the process. The analogy of thinking about what wall your ladder is up against is so powerful. Knowing your values, what is really important to you, is vital in defining what wall you might choose to climb. Being willing to move your ladder to another wall, seek out a new opportunity, even when you are still on your way up your current wall can be daunting, but it is doable! Coaching can be such a valuable ally in this space. 

The Great Resignation or changing steps on the ladder represents a newfound courage people have adopted in defining their careers. This is a new season for really focusing on values and seeking more fulfillment in professional and personal roles. We speak about how this will shift progress in the workplace. 

This episode is accompanied by a fabulous workbook that Sharon uses to introduce clients to her work. You can download it at this link.  

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast, so you never miss an important episode! Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog, sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition, or access my complementary webinar, ‘How to ACE a Senior Leadership Interview’! You can also sign up to receive notification when the She Knows ShiFt book of transition secrets is released in the fall of 2022 (https://www.sheknowsshift.com/book-launch/)! See you over in your next successful career transition!

Links & Resources Mentioned

https://mettasolutions.ac-page.com/wmmty-optin-page-presentations

http://www.sheknowsshift.com

A born activist, advocate, and disrupter, Shelley Kuipers’ habit of asking “but, why?” and being unsatisfied with the answers has led to a financially rewarding career in innovative entrepreneurship. She’s founded, financed, and sold companies, taken calculated risks, and navigated a successful career by surrounding herself with those who align with her mission and values. 

Shelley doesn’t recommend “chasing” after opportunities; she advises entrepreneurs to play to their strengths and surround themselves with talented people who can help close the deal. In her own complex path to success, Shelley has learned to trust the sound advice of those who support her and share her values—to listen, and sometimes leap even when the obstacles ahead are vast and unclear.

The culmination of Shelley’s unique, entrepreneurial career is in co-founding The51 (https://the51.com/) with Judy Fairburn and Alice Reimer, key members of her network who share her passion for supporting women investors and entrepreneurs. The51 is a financial feministTM platform founded in 2019 that unlocks capital from woman-identifying and gender-diverse investors, and supports entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups in Canada and the US (women entrepreneurs receive only 2.2% of global venture capital support!). 

The dream of The51 is for women to become a global economic force. Women who are looking to invest or entrepreneurs who are seeking capital from a gender-diverse investment fund can reach The51 at https://the51.com/ or contact Shelley at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleykuipers/ 

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast, so you never miss an important episode! Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog, sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition, or access my complementary webinar, ‘How to ACE a Senior Leadership Interview’! You can also sign up to receive notification when the She Knows ShiFt book of transition secrets is released in the fall of 2022 (https://www.sheknowsshift.com/book-launch/)! See you over in your transition!

Sandi Somers has transitioned from a career in theatre to filmmaking and most recently to a somatic practitioner and meditation facilitator. Each of these has distinct skills and has required that Sandi continuously remake herself! 

Sandi grew up in theatre, her first love, where she developed a close-knit community. Eventually, her heart led her in a different direction and she maintained those relationships to assist her in her next transition, to filmmaking. 

Along the way she lost sight of who she was even though she enjoyed working in film and she was engaging in many activities of self-care – meditation, exercise, yoga, retreats. However, she was only ‘soothing the moment’, in her words, but never fully recovering her true self. The transition did not allow her to experience a sense of deep calm as she remained on high speed all the time. She had to stop letting her head control the rest of her and get rid of the stories she was telling herself about how she had to live. Listen to what it did for her productivity and how it assisted her in her transition! This has let her move in the scary direction of being her authentic self.

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast, so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition. You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

Susan Brien has had a diverse career spanning over 30 years as a Neurosurgeon, Medical Leader, and Internationally recognized Medical Educator. She has recently handed over the many hats she has worn for over 15 years at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to take on a role she has envisioned for herself for over 20 years – that of a Health Care VP. It has been a significant change and one where six months in she is still transitioning. 

Susan provides many fabulous insights around knowing when it is time to transition, from trusted colleagues recognizing that she is coming to work differently to the reflective space that she has found herself in during COVID-19 to the opportunity to be closer to her roots and her family. She speaks to success in her transition by focusing not on the “What have I done?” that many of us grapple with following a significant change, but rather on the “What am I going to do?” An important insight for listeners is to remember you are not your CV! Success means you must take a leap, align your values with positions you take on, and most importantly, have fun! 

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast, so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition. You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

Elizabeth Cannon has held numerous roles at the University of Calgary including Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, Department Head, Dean of Engineering, and finally University President. Since completing her academic career in 2018, Elizabeth has transitioned to becoming a published author, seed-stage investor - particularly in female-founded companies, and Board Director for public, private, and not-for-profit organizations.

My interview with Elizabeth weaves together many of the important concepts in transitioning including knowing when to stay and when to go, grabbing opportunities where they present themselves, the importance of developing your networks to broaden your influence, and the necessity to define your personal brand.

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast, so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition. You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

Vania Grandi has transitioned from being an NCAA athlete to Journalism to a VP of Marketing and Sales in the mining sector and finally to the CEO position of the Canadian Ski Federation!

Her success comes from challenging herself to seek out gaps in her knowledge and overcome potentially rate-limiting weaknesses. Her most powerful transitions are those that have allowed her to live in that sweet spot of overlap between doing what she has a passion for, what she is good at, and where she can benefit the organization.

Join us as we speak about failure becoming easier over time and being open to new ideas and concepts by adopting a growth mindset in how you can approach transitions. 

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition.

You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

The timing of a career transition will depend on many important considerations, including what you have to learn in your current role. Every position has something important to teach you that will add to your unique value proposition and build on your strengths. You will also need to consider what projects you want to bring to completion in your current role – what is the footprint you want to leave in the organization? Join me as I tell the stories of three successful women leaders, Larissa, Claire, and Carolyn, who focused on these two important concepts in their pre-shiFt work!

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition. You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

In episode three, we spoke of knowing your values and today we are delving into knowing your value! These are different and both require work in the pre-shift phase of your transition. You may believe that if you have the credentials, put your head down, and work hard, you will be recognized for your unique value and rewarded accordingly. This is simply not the case.

If you do not know your true value, your strengths, and if you cannot speak to these and put them on the table, others will likely not notice. You need to ask yourself repeatedly ‘what value do I bring to the organization’ until you can answer this without shifting quickly into a long rendition of your weaknesses or going to complete silence.

Once you know your value, you need to be allowed to speak to those values. You need to be allowed to go beyond your profile. You need to be given a voice. Things that stand in the way of this are not being given a platform to communicate, not having access to your leader, not being afforded appropriate resources, and being silenced for your ideas.

Make sure you are valued for your profile AND your voice!

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast so you never miss an important episode.

Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition.

You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

In any career transition, whether it be up, for example a promotion, over to another organization or into another career, or out through retirement, there are many things to think about. Pre-shift is a time of learning and self-reflection. You need to know what your values are and that they align with the culture and behaviors of your organization. Join me as I speak about Barbara’s journey from uncertainty about whether she should continue as a lawyer to making an important career decision. Her transition was made easier by sitting in her own shiFt!

Even if you are not considering a shiFt, this is important work and I would argue you should always be in a state of pre-shiFt – nothing stays the same!

I have coached many successful women in their career transitions or shiFts. Join me for useful tips around aligning your values with the culture of your organization. Get ready to learn new skills and strategically navigate the next phase of your career. In no time at all, people will be commenting that you know your shiFt!

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt podcast so you never miss an important episode. Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for Executive coaching around your next important career transition. You will also have access to my complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leadership interview. See you over in your transition!

During your career, you will undergo many transitions. Even if you stay in the same career, in the same organization, you will transition. The change is what is going on externally and the transition is the very personal internal shiFt. The change can happen overnight, but the transition may take many months or even longer. It is this transition that I speak of in She Knows shiFt!

In any transition, the first thing you need to know is who you are – what is your why? What are your values, desires, and goals? Why shiFt? Why now? You need to know whom you are and what you want to choose a career path that will lead to a successful transition. Do you want more money, more time, more balance? Do you want to experience a different culture, a different language, or do you want to explore a new challenge?

Even if you are not currently considering a shiFt, this is important work, as you need to know who you are as opportunities arise. If you do not take the time to do this, your transition may not be successful or remain unfinished. Those people who know their why will know how and when to transition.

I have coached many women around change and successful career transitions. Although the process is different for everyone, there are commonalities and ways you can prepare yourself for each phase of your shiFt. The first step is defining your very personal why.

Helping women successfully shiFt is my passion, and believe me, I know shiFt! I have made many mistakes myself, and now I want to help you in your shiFt. I want you to know your shiFt! 

This podcast will provide you with many useful tips on how to approach a career transition. So join me as you learn new skills and strategically navigate the next phase of your career. In no time at all, people will be commenting that you know, she knows, shiFt!

Be sure to subscribe to the She Knows shiFt Podcast so you never miss an important episode.

Join me at www.sheknowsshift.com, where you can follow my blog and sign up for executive coaching. You will also have access to a complementary webinar on how to ACE a senior leader interview!

See you over in your transition!