Sustainable Success: The Multifaceted Journey Beyond Social Media Posts

It is the season of job promotions. I’ve been getting several such news through LinkedIn posts from my clients. However, these celebratory posts only scratch the surface of their entire journey. When we see things only from the outside through a social media post, we sometimes fail to grasp the totality of the story. We might even feel a little green with envy or bummed out because we’re comparing our everyday grind to someone else’s highlight reel. We just hit “Like” or write “Congratulations” and move on with our day.

As their coach, when I see those announcements, I’m transported back to their journey’s inception, reflecting on the intentional efforts, experimentation, resilience in the face of setbacks, and numerous other elements that paved their way. In addition to 1:1 coaching, another crucial facet of this process is the pivotal role played by their support network – their cohort of peers.

I will expand on that peer support part below as it is relatively new in our culture.

An Example Of A Peer Coaching Group

We recently commemorated several new jobs and promotions within my Tech Leads’ Coaching Circle (a group coaching program). This group has been meeting monthly for over a year and interacting on Slack in-between sessions. During our monthly sessions, they present their distinct challenges and receive peer coaching while I supervise the process. Each of them invests in the success of others. Thus, when the good news arrives, the celebration transcends mere congratulations; we facilitate processing complex emotional mixtures. Witnessing this profound impact of the support structure has been both enlightening and heartwarming.

Our cohort members occupy highly demanding job roles, bringing complex subjects to our sessions. These challenges do not have straightforward solutions. Nevertheless, the group dynamic possesses its own magic. The camaraderie and shared laughter infuse fun into the process, while diverse perspectives illuminate these challenges from novel angles. Often, this shift in perspective is all they require to move forward.

Putting it Together

Any accomplished professional has the talent and tenacity to attain a certain level of success until they reach a critical juncture where further advancement comes at a high cost but diminishing efficacy. Our physical and emotional well-being and vital relationships bear the brunt as we relentlessly strive for career progression. As posited by the famous book title, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,” recalibrating our strategies becomes imperative. The next level of growth requires the following:

Building sustainable systems encompassing mindful self-care,
A support network
Internal mindset shifts towards a bigger perspective.

These are the transformations I am privileged to witness every day in my work as an executive coach.

So next time you see those job promotions or new job announcements on your LinkedIn feed, pause and notice the mental shortcut you are unconsciously taking. When we learn to see deeper into the process beneath the surface-level success, we will probably relate more and truly celebrate our friends’ and colleagues’ milestones.

If this intrigues you, check out more about my Executive Coaching and Group Coaching services.