Here’s my beef! The art of strategic pausing

Here’s my beef!  The art of strategic pausing

We live in times when careers take unpredictable turns, and executive careers are not exception.

I have found F&L challenging and insightful over some years and will soon talk about “managing your team in the changing times” in a special online session for other Members. 

In the meantime, the uncertainty of the moment might keep you longing for more control. You might think that changing jobs would open new perspectives and give you more stability. But grass isn’t greener on the other side, and the ideal of a sustainable executive career – the career aligned with the employee’s values, taking place in a supportive and constructive business environment – is fading everywhere with the booming “radical business optimization” trends and “polycrisis” reality.

What can you do to improve your working life and regain your much-needed leadership composure?

Here’s my beef:

– Make sure to fully integrate the most recent developments into your life. Let’s say your organization went through a transformation and your team, which used to be all in the same place, now is located across various regions and time zones. And you can’t travel regularly to sit face-to-face with them due to budget restrictions. Answer a few questions: “Did you have a chance to make a conscious effort to change your management style? Have you adjusted the idea of your managerial and personal accountability? Are you building a cathedral where a presentable tent will do? Are you exhibiting presence where it matters?” If you find your job to be exhausting now, there’s no reason to think that a new job will be kinder to you; instead, you can be kind and considerate to yourself while optimizing your current positioning.

– Build a flexible professional identity – as flexible as you only can. If you’re like the majority of corporate executives, you find comfort in hiding behind your company brand and your working title. Don’t let this outlook limit your perspective. You might want to start seeing your professional activities as a portfolio rather than a predestination. Don’t forget that a network based on corporate titles is fickle and greedy. Choose relevance of your professional identity over status and be flexible and strategic about it.

– Check your hormonal status and adjust the routine to your physical needs. Long gone are the times when executives came close to their retirement age feeling sprite and energetic. The physical and emotional demand of a corporate job today takes the toll on our health way before retirement, and hormonal health is the first to suffer. If you don’t like your reflection in the mirror, if you don’t sleep well enough, if your emotional reactions are out of your control, do yourself a favour – find a good endocrinologist, have an extensive checkup and follow the doctor’s advice. Don’t be afraid of out-of-pocket expenses; taking ownership of one’s health is a huge global trend and it pays hundredfold.

These are just a few things, but start practising them responsibly, and your current job will positively surprise you with new perspectives. Good luck on your journey!

Elena Kharlamova
August 2026