The views expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
When I used to be a kid, I wanted to be a social studies teacher. Living on a farm, the boundaries of my knowledge were a very small box. I knew that cows were exertions and social studies was my favorite subject, so I selected the best choice.
As I explored more and more of the world, that box grew, and my profession goals modified: first psychology, then business, and eventually technology. I learned more, traveled the country and other parts of the world, and the partitions around my understanding expanded. I used to be recently invited to give the commencement address to the graduating class of 2024 at the university where I studied marketing as an undergraduate. Forty years later, my box has grown to include titles corresponding to CEO of a technology company and 2023 national winner Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Looking back, I see my path to leadership more clearly, not as a line, but as a series of moving through larger and larger boxes. Each recent experience might be scary at first, but as we learn and explore that space, we develop into more confident in it and more prepared to move through the next one. There is at all times a larger box of data to open, and the moment we recognize it, we are faced with a selection: stay in the safety of the smaller space we know, or familiarize ourselves with the larger space and grow.
Stay on course
My first job out of faculty was at a software company and I used to be enamored with it—nothing moves faster than technology and I knew that was where I wanted to pursue my profession. Still, I never intended to go from cows to computers and I had a lot to learn about such a vast body of data with little experience working in the field. I believed my boss would appreciate my initiative when I first turned to my peers for support and then to my boss’s boss when I ran into a problem. Instead, I lost my job.
Undaunted by this difficult start, I worked for years at one other software company as a marketing manager. By all accounts, I used to be next in line to run a department when I heard the company management say that a woman would never have the opportunity to run marketing because women only knew how to spend money. I used to be fired the next day.
I could have gone after the company for what happened, and perhaps I should have so that the women who got here after me could have a higher opportunity, but I used to be in a relatively small town and a relatively small industry. I had to navigate this smaller field before I could get to where I wanted to be, and talking about it gave the impression of too much of a risk to the course I had set for my profession. So I did what I could to learn from the disappointing moments and move on as a substitute of letting them discourage me from finding one other opportunity.
Adapt to passing squalls
Even the best plans require course corrections along the way. Like the rudder of a sailboat, setting basic profession goals can steer us in the right direction, but the weather can be bad and the sea will change continually. At my next job, the engineer refused to work with a woman or imagine he had any place in technology. When I approached him with problems, he tried to talk me over and all over again as a substitute of helping me understand. I adjusted, turning to his staff for support so I could proceed to succeed in my role.
When I got promoted and became his boss, we wanted a higher solution. I used to be stepping into a leadership role and had to realize that although I objected to his behavior, he was a great engineer whose work benefited the team. So we agreed on exactly what I needed from him and I gave him a lot of freedom to do it. I could not have convinced him completely, but I made the better of that relationship while I adjusted to the larger space.
Today’s obstacle is not necessarily the future obstacle. There can be bullies, bad bosses, or ex-husbands who can get in the way, but men are not at all times barriers. In my three jobs, I have discovered that some of them might be my best champions. By remaining curious to learn from everyone, my box of understanding has grown. I have learned to recognize supportive, confident people, nurture those relationships, and determine when to compromise or settle for the opportunity to learn and move on.
Take time to care and have fun
We founded Clearfield at a time when large manufacturing firms were designing for the largest broadband providers and saw the value of making modular, scalable products for smaller firms building in rural areas. After Covid-19 forced everyone home and high-speed web became a necessity, public and private investment in fiber optics skyrocketed. Sales exploded. The industry was growing faster than ever, and I raced to meet its recent challenges until I needed back surgery.
The pursuit of more knowledge and responsibility can take us to the heights of leadership, but we limit ourselves if that ambition causes us to sacrifice celebration and self-care. Taking the time to show others appreciation for their efforts assures them that we see their value and fuel their continued contributions to the team. In the same way, regular self-care renews our spirit and dedication as we go through the arduous strategy of moving into larger boxes: overcoming fears, learning from mistakes, and developing confidence.
From the box I’m in now, I see that self-care and celebration are how we sustain ourselves and our team members for the long haul and prepare ourselves to achieve our goals. That’s the good thing about moving into a larger box: each time there’s an opportunity to look back at our previous worldview with greater clarity and learn to do higher.