Issue #010
The Promotion That Nobody Wanted (Including Me)
When they offered me the role, my first thought was "Are you serious?"
It was the kind of opportunity that looked great on paper but felt like career suicide. A struggling division. A demoralized team. Impossible targets that had broken the last two leaders who tried.
"We need someone who can turn this around," my VP said. "We think you're ready for the challenge."
Challenge. That's corporate speak for "mission impossible with your reputation on the line."
Every smart part of my brain screamed NO. This was the kind of role that ends careers, not builds them. The kind of assignment that looks like a promotion but feels like a punishment.
But something else was happening alongside the fear: excitement.
The Scared-and-Excited Test
Here's what I've learned after two decades of making career decisions: When you feel both scared AND excited about an opportunity, that's your growth zone calling.
Scared alone? That's usually your intuition protecting you from something genuinely dangerous.
Excited alone? That's often a sign the opportunity won't stretch you enough to create real development.
But scared AND excited? That's the sweet spot where transformation happens.
I was definitely scared. This team had missed their targets for six consecutive quarters. Morale was at an all-time low. Two senior reps had already jumped ship to competitors.
But I was also excited. Because buried in that challenge was everything I had been preparing for without knowing it.
What Others Saw vs. What I Saw
Most people looked at this role and saw:
A team in crisis
Unrealistic expectations
A high probability of failure
Career risk
I looked at it and saw:
A chance to apply everything I'd learned about leading through transitions
An opportunity to build something meaningful with people who were ready for change
The possibility of a turnaround story that could open doors I couldn't even see yet
The ultimate test of whether my leadership philosophy actually worked
The difference? Activated leaders see opportunity where others see obstacles.
The Growth Gap Strategy
I said yes to that role because I understood something crucial: Growth lives in the gap between your current capability and what the situation demands.
If you only take roles you're already qualified for, you'll never become more than you already are. But if you strategically step into opportunities that require you to evolve, you don't just grow, you accelerate.
That's exactly what happened.
Leading that team through their turnaround taught me skills I never would have developed in a comfortable role:
➤ How to rebuild trust when it's been broken
➤ How to motivate people who have lost hope
➤ How to create momentum when everything feels impossible
➤ How to make tough decisions quickly without perfect information
Within 18 months, we had exceeded our targets by 34%. More importantly, I had become a completely different leader. One who could handle ambiguity, inspire through uncertainty, and deliver results even when the odds were stacked against success.
The Opportunity You're Avoiding
Right now, there's an opportunity in your life that's triggering both fear and excitement.
Maybe it's a stretch assignment your boss mentioned. Maybe it's starting your own business. Maybe it's leading a difficult conversation you've been postponing. Maybe it's volunteering for the project everyone else is avoiding.
Whatever it is, you probably have a dozen rational reasons why you shouldn't do it:
"I'm not ready"
"The timing isn't right"
"What if I fail?"
"I don't have enough experience"
Here's what I want you to consider: Those aren't reasons, they're exactly the point.
The Questions That Change Everything
Instead of asking "Am I qualified?" ask "Who will I become if I do this?"
Instead of "What if I fail?" ask "What if I succeed beyond my wildest expectations?"
Instead of "I'm not ready" ask "How quickly can I get ready?"
The leaders who accelerate their careers don't wait until they feel ready. They get ready by doing the thing that scares and excites them.
Your Scared-and-Excited Moment
I want you to think about the opportunity you've been avoiding because it feels too big, too risky, or too uncertain.
Write it down. Be specific.
Now write down:
What specifically scares you about it?
What excites you about it?
Who would you become if you succeeded?
What's one small step you could take this week to move toward it?
The Activated Leader's Choice
Here's what separates activated leaders from everyone else: They understand that comfort is the enemy of growth.
They choose the path that develops them over the path that protects them. They say yes to opportunities that stretch them, even when—especially when—they're not sure they can handle it.
Because they know something that most people don't: You don't rise to the level of your confidence. You rise to the level of your courage.
If you're ready to stop playing it safe and start playing to win, to take on the challenges that will forge you into the leader you're meant to become, let's talk about how to make that happen.
Here’s 4 ways I can help:
Join my leadership cohort → Surround yourself with other leaders who choose growth over comfort
Book a keynote for your team → Inspire your entire organization to embrace stretch opportunities
Get 1:1 strategic guidance → Work with me to navigate your specific scared-and-excited opportunity
Start building courage systematically → My self-paced course teaches the frameworks for confident decision-making in uncertainty
Thursday, September 4th at 7PM CST, I'm hosting an exclusive Q&A session where I'll share the details about The Activated Leader™ Group Coaching Program launching in late September and give you the first opportunity to be part of the founding cohort.
This 8-week intensive group coaching program is designed specifically for ambitious professionals navigating transitions who are ready to move from uncertainty to unstoppable momentum using my proven Activation Methodology™.
During our live session, you'll get:
→ An inside look at the complete 4-stage framework I've developed through 15+ years at Microsoft, Oracle, and Google
→ Real results from past participants: 90% report increased leadership confidence, 67% receive promotions within 6 months
→ The chance to ask me directly about your specific transition challenges
→ Details about the program structure, weekly group calls, and how to secure your spot in the next cohort
Limited to just 12 participants for maximum personalized attention. If you're a senior leader with 7+ years of experience who's ready to invest seriously in your development, this Q&A is your gateway to the program.
Speaking of activation... I'm also putting the finishing touches on a brand new keynote that takes everything I've learned about helping leaders navigate transitions and packages it into a transformative experience for teams and organizations.
"The Activated Leader: How to Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity" will officially launch this fall, and I'm looking for a few forward-thinking companies to be part of the initial rollout. If your organization could benefit from a keynote that doesn't just inspire but actually equips leaders with practical frameworks for navigating change, let's talk. Just hit reply on this email.
Choose your courage over comfort,
P.S. That "impossible" role I took? It became the springboard for everything that came after—including the opportunity to speak to thousands of leaders and coach executives around the world. What opportunity are you avoiding that might be your biggest breakthrough in disguise? Reply and tell me about it.
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