Becoming the CEO of Your Career: Sharing the Secrets of Success

When I went to college five hundred million years ago (okay, maybe not that long ago), I studied economics. Most of it didn’t stick, but there are a couple of concepts that stayed with me and that I still use in the work I do and in how I structure the work I choose to do. 

One of them is the idea of supply and demand.  It’s also how I think about changing the makeup of our workforce so it reflects the society we live in.

I speak a lot in this newsletter about the demand side – what organisations can do to create more open, inclusive, and equitable workplaces where diverse talent can thrive. What I don’t talk about as much is the supply side – what individuals from underrepresented groups can do to navigate their careers.

Why not? Because it can easily veer into “Let’s fix the women (or the neurodivergent, or people of colour, or anyone not in the dominant group)!” – and I never want to suggest the burden of change lies with individuals alone. 

But here’s the reality: while organisations need to change, individuals also need access to the “secrets to success”. 

And if you’re not in the “in-group”, those secrets often aren’t shared. No one gives you the rules to join what we would have traditionally called the “old boys club”. 

That’s why a big part of my work – even if I don’t always write about it – is focused on supporting those who are underrepresented.  I help share the rules of the road. 

How? I co-facilitate the Let’s Lead programme at DCU, supporting women to step into leadership. I spend a lot of time providing career and development advice to underrepresented populations through my volunteering and formal development programmes; I work with employee resource groups in organisations to build their strategic muscle and learn to lead effectively. 

And just last week, I delivered a session to an international client (ten virtual locations!), as part of International Women in Engineering Day.

The session was called “Becoming the CEO of Your Career.”  I shared three pillars – mindset, strategy and execution – and six practical tips.  Here’s a snapshot:

Mindset – What does it mean to be the CEO of your career?

• YOU are the person who cares most about your future and has your best interests at heart

• Own your career and treat it the way a CEO would run a business – with intention, direction and accountability

Strategy – How do you navigate your path?

• Define your mission, vision, and goals

• Map the gap: Where are you now? Where do you want to be? Think big – don’t limit yourself. How will you get there?

• Utilise tools such as SWOT analysis and career planning frameworks to create clarity.

Execution: How do you make it happen?

• Build a development plan that covers the next 12 – 18 months

• Use the 70:20:10 model:10% formal learning (TED talks, courses, online learning, books), 20% learning from others (role models, mentors, sponsors, line managers)70% learning through experience (stretch assignments, new responsibilities, volunteering)

I also shared six key tips I return to again and again:

1. Get real feedback – ask for specific, constructive input. “What’s one thing I could do better?” is a great place to start – specific is key! 

2. Feel overwhelmed? - Keep the dream big, and the steps small and consistent.

3. Understand your personal brand – How are you perceived? What do you want to be known for? Do they align?

4. Be strategic about mentors – Choose mentors who help build your knowledge, network, and visibility.

5. Know what self-efficacy is – it’s your belief in your ability to succeed, and it grows through experience, making it a more tangible concept than trying to build confidence.  That’s why that 70% matters.

6. Align your time with your strategy – Ensure that your daily actions align with your long-term goals.

These might seem obvious to you if you’ve had great managers, a strong network or grown up with professional role models.  But if you haven’t – if no one told you that hard work alone isn’t enough – they can be game-changing.

We have a responsibility to share these insights.  To ensure that people not in the room also receive the roadmap. To notice who’s not being invited to the party – and to open the door.

Are you a gatekeeper of the secrets to success, or a sharer?  Who could you bring into the room this week?  Who can you share the secrets to success in your organisation with today?

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