How do you deal with a stalled career or career plateaus?

How do you deal with a stalled career or career plateaus? 

I’ve thought about this question deeply. When colleagues had shared this problem with me, I would think of the times I have felt this during my career journey. These feelings can be summarized in the question: “Why am I not there already?” 

Career plateaus can occur whether you are in a role, or searching for your next one. Feeling like you’re on a treadmill while everyone else is on a track - that can happen to anyone. 

I don’t like feeling that way. It is especially tough for ambitious folks. And it doesn’t help that today’s society glorifies the overnight stars and rocket ship careers. During these times of internal turbulence, I find that this series of thoughts center me. 

Here are ways I’ve found to fight through the stagnant periods when you feel like you aren’t going anywhere: 

Positivity 

You can always provide added value. Thinking of different ways to service customers and those around you often leads to interesting problems to solve, which can help spur you out of a rut. Positivity isn’t just optimism, it’s an intentional response.

I like to think of it this way: Though the city may be falling apart, I can still fix the streetlamp in front of my home. Tomorrow, I will fix the hole in the sidewalk. Soon, others will see that they can fix the lamps and holes near them too. And one day, the city will see that we can all make significant progress, one fix at a time. 

Patience 

I regularly look at the career history of business leaders I admire. I notice that they spend years, sometimes decades in the same role, developing their skills and molding a specific area of the business. Bill McDermott, author of Winner’s Dream and current CEO of ServiceNow, spent 17 years working in sales and management positions for Xerox, before eventually becoming the CEO of SAP. If these leaders can be patient, well then we can be patient too. 

Perspective 

How much really changes when you change roles? The perceived improvement of a job change is often much more than it really is. You’ll always have problems to solve, coworkers to get along with, and hopefully enough personal time where you can dedicate to yourself and your family. Often, the feeling of “Why am I not there already?” stems from the fear of being left behind. I urge you not to feel that way.

The true fear should be lack of growth. If you aren’t improving as a professional and as a person, then it is time to make a change. But you’ll be surprised at the growth and learning opportunities that are available right where you are. For me, regardless of my situation, learning something new lights a fire inside. Learning something useful feels like opening a new door of possibilities. And just like that, I go from feeling utterly stuck, to thoroughly engaged. 

I hope you found this post helpful. Let me know other ways you have found to push through career plateaus.

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