Layoffs, Leadership and the Question to Ask Before You Start “Doing”

High achievers like to go after their goals, but what if in the face of disruption, we’re skipping a step in our hurry to get going and get “doing”? 

With ongoing layoffs and a new (sometimes scary) work landscape, so many of us are trying to figure out what opportunities remain, and what we should do next. But today’s guest, Victoria Foster, suggests we’re starting from the wrong place. Before trying to figure out what we can do, we should first ask: who do I want to be? 

Victoria is an executive coach and co-founder of FutureWomenX. She invites us to step out of scarcity, tap into our deeper gifts, and reclaim our agency. She argues that instead of clinging to old definitions of success or the skills we’ve mastered, we need to understand the values, beliefs, and strengths beneath them. That’s where possibility lives.

In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi and Victoria discuss:

• Why defining ourselves by what we do limits our ability to adapt
• How to uncover the gifts beneath our skills, and why they matter
• Why layoffs often trigger shame, and how to reclaim your story
• The importance of honoring where you’ve been before choosing what’s next
• How community and courageous conversations help us face the unknown
• Why 2025 demands a new mindset for navigating work and identity

Continue the conversation with us at our last Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us Wednesday at 3 PM ET on the LinkedIn News page.