Richard, tell me about a specific time when you’ve made a shift in your professional life and the impact this has had. 

“I made a jump from an industry I thought I was very secure in to one where I was way out my comfort zone. But it turns out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done – not least as I learnt far more about myself than ever before.”

After university, I secured a role working in Serviced Offices selling and managing office space. This was a great fit as I’d always prided myself on my ability to build relationships quickly. But, after a number of years working in the industry I spotted a glass ceiling and this eroded my passion for the sector. Before I knew it, my performance started to suffer and when there was an economic dip and business decisions needed to be made, my employer and I mutually agreed to part ways. It was then that serendipity played its part: a chance drink with a friend put me on a new trajectory and – following an introduction and subsequent meetings – I shifted to a new career in IT and Telecoms. 

It was an important and life-changing moment for me. Not only did I get renewed energy and vigour but I was also able to see my skillset and worth in a whole new, more transferable light. This in turn has made me a more confident, expansive person in my role.”

That’s terrific. And what would you say were the challenges you came up against in making this shift?

“My biggest challenge without doubt was overcoming my own inhibitions. It took me a while to break free of these. Coming from an industry I’d grown comfortable in (even if not hugely passionate about latterly) brought old an imposter syndrome back to haunt me. I saw the IT sector as a threat and doubted my ability to be able to handle and make a success of it given I had – in my own estimation – low initial credibility in this space. I had to break through this wall and I did this by being creative about how I approached it. I eventually realised that what I was really passionate about and good at was selling to people. And on spending time in this new industry and understanding it better technically, I came to see that I was at my very best when I was able to tell the technical story in a way that was right for me and allowed my natural abilities to shine through and succeed. 

This was massive for me: learning to back myself. Not putting the pressure on myself to be the expert in a space I’d just come into was key and allowed me to relax sufficiently to bring the best of myself to the fore.”

That sounds a big challenge to overcome. What would you say were the breakthrough moments you had on the way?

“The biggest moment was getting some early successes under my belt, however small. I learned that building confidence wasn’t a big one-off event but rather a series of little wins that over time accumulated into a bigger gain and that continues to this day. 

Achieving early success endorsed my gut feel that selling was my strong suit. That gave me the boost I needed and it built an early base of credibility and momentum. That was really important to me. Given this, I was able to really relax into things more and – in understanding the technical details of the role and sector more – found new and creative ways to talk about what I was selling in my own words and in a way that fitted my personality, style and most importantly the client. 

In particular, being able to use my knowledge of the property sector as a door opener was a great tool. A big moment came when I realised I was using storytelling as a way to weave in and draw relevance from the technical details. It’s amazing what you learn about yourself when you’re out your comfort zone!”

It sure is. And finally, what would you say was the impact of making your shift and what did you learn from doing it?

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the impact has been huge. Making the shift how and when I did was the best thing I ever did. And the lessons I learned from it during and after that change have been long-lasting and reinforce my own self-confidence. I feel I’ve got to know myself better and have become more content and secure in who I am professionally and where I add the value that no one else can. I’ve also learned to trust my gut feel. I’d always felt that there was something missing – or the part of me that was really shining – and I now learn to recognise when my gut feel tells me something, it’s rarely wrong. 

On a more practical level, giving myself time and space to relax into a new role and recognise and be ok with the discomfort was a big step. Doing this enabled me to think laterally across problems and situations in a way that I’d had neither the cause nor need to do before. And the impact of that has been undeniable: the real Richard shining through each and every day.”

Nice one. Thanks so much for sharing your story with me today, Richard.