How Should I Plan for My Next Role When I’m Happy with the One I’m In?

Coaching Real Leaders

Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

C-suite, Management, Executive, Careers, Hbr, Leaders, Coaching, Sessions, Society & Culture, Business, Harvard, Review, Leadership

4.8 • 759 Ratings

🗓️ 6 October 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

She’s found herself in a role that she loves at a company she loves, but is wondering how – and to what extent – she should be planning for the next role and beyond. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches this leader through defining her goals, deepening her understanding of her organization, and embracing clarity while still being excited for the unknowns ahead.

Check out Muriel’s new book, Leadership Unblocked, out October 28th: leadershipunblocked.com

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Muriel Wilkins and this is Coaching Real Leaders part of the HBR Podcast Network.
0:13.0	I'm a long-time executive coach who works with highly successful leaders who've hit a bump in the road.
0:19.0	My job is to help them get over that bump by clarifying
0:22.0	their goals and figuring out a way to reach them so that hopefully they can lead with a little
0:27.1	more ease. I typically work with clients over the course of several months, but on this show,
0:32.9	we have a one-time coaching meeting focusing on a specific leadership challenge they're facing.
0:41.4	Today's guest is someone will call Gia to protect her confidentiality. She's had a career
0:46.5	spanning multiple industries and continents. Her previous role marked a turning point in her career.
0:52.6	It was the first time I was managing a large team, and I found myself.
0:57.8	I found myself in many different ways.
1:00.1	Initially, I found myself in a city that I absolutely loved, and I felt really embraced and welcomed.
1:07.7	It really was welcomed by the team and such a diverse team, which also I truly
1:13.8	appreciate because it brings the right challenges for a leader. Gia then pursued a new opportunity
1:22.2	at a different organization. She wasn't sure she would get that job, but she did, and she feels really grateful that it's been the right fit for her.
1:32.3	There's many times in my life that I got the job, and it was not the right fit for me.
1:38.2	I can assure you that I was almost fired probably so many times in my career, you know, and now I'm so humbled by it and I'm actually thankful.
1:49.0	I feel that over time I became more intentional and also more aware of my strengths to apply to the right jobs.
2:00.0	The last two ones were exactly that case.
2:02.6	It was really intentional.
2:03.6	I really, really wanted them.
2:06.6	And I had a feeling that it was the right challenge for me.
2:09.6	Gia has now been at the company for about a year.
	...

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