No matter how ambitious and talented you are, rising up and out of mid-level management can be slow going for reasons beyond your control. Maybe it’s because your company doesn’t have a business need—or budget—to upgrade your job title and salary from senior to executive. Or maybe it’s because the person in the position you want has been there forever—and has no plans to leave any time soon.

Still, there are plenty of factors that you can control, and Amy B and her three guests cover them in this episode. Leadership development coach Cynthia Pong first validates the challenges of scoring a position that’s scarce. Then, Lauren Reyes and Megan Bock, both COOs whose careers stagnated in mid-level management before accelerating again, recount the conversations, decisions, and networking that jump-started them.

Guest experts:

Cynthia Pong is the CEO of Embrace Change, a leadership development and executive coaching consultancy.

Megan Bock is the COO of Federato, a company that uses machine learning to assess risk.

Lauren Reyes is the COO of the YMCA of Greater Boston.

Resources:

“How to Beat Mid-Career Malaise,” by Rebecca Knight
“Overcoming Self-Doubt in the Face of a Big Promotion,” by Evelyn Hsu and Sabina Nawaz
You, the Leader, from the Women at Work Series
“Research: How Women Can Build High-Status Networks,” by Carla Rua-Gomez et al.
“Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership,” by Alice Eagly and Linda L. Carli

Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter.

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org

Protecting America - June 10th, Hour 1