The Power of Pivoting: A Personal Journey
Taking a Pause (Bring, Breathe, Be)
This is me taking a pause…to reflect of what I learn in a pivot
Do you remember when you were a child being asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answers were always confident—Actress, Lawyer—those were the careers that rolled off my tongue. But as life would have it, I ended up as an Officer in the British Army. Quite the pivot before I even knew what pivoting meant! Looking back, though, that choice suited me—adventure, the outdoors, structure, an identifiable path, challenges, and constant opportunities to stretch myself. Yet, what I craved back then was reassurance, recognition, and some level of praise. Initially, I received very little of that, primarily due to: 1) my boss was a misogynistic arsehole, and 2) my confidence was so shattered that I didn’t try as hard as I could have, paralysed by the fear of failure. A double-edged sword if there ever was one.
So, why share this snapshot of my early career? Because, in hindsight, the themes that were clear then have recurred as I transitioned and pivoted through various stages of my career following my military service.
First, let’s rewind to that moment when I left the Army, still grappling with confidence issues. Despite having navigated a body riddled with Imposter Syndrome, I had been a successful Officer, earning accolades from bosses who followed that original twit. Yet, I was convinced I’d never get another job. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next and continuously undersold myself. I literally FELL into Training and HR.
What followed were several years of feeling like I was making it up as I went along, with a couple of hiccups to boot. Madam IS (Imposter Syndrome) was firmly in the driver’s seat. I felt very alone and terrified of being “found out,” so I kept authority figures at arm’s length—often for good reason (hello, terrible Board members!), though there were people I could have asked for help. But I didn’t.
So, I hit a wall a couple of times, and I must own my part in that. How did it happen? Because, despite Madam IS, I was really good at faking confidence, pretending I had my shit together while inside I was ready to throw up, pass out, or both. I wasn’t articulating the balance between what I did have under control and where I genuinely needed help. Often tricky to succeed or make progress when you are only counting on yourself.
After a second major setback with history repeating itself, I took myself off the grid for a week, creating a FULL STOP and some real time for reflection. When I returned, I was clear about what I didn’t want to do next, but what I did want remained a mystery.
As I write this, it’s not lost on me that as a child I could answer that question— “What do you want to be when you grow up?”—so emphatically, but at that moment … nothing but tumbleweeds.
By this point, I had a coach who was helping me develop new skills, like sitting still, waiting, and reflecting rather than constantly driving toward answers and certainty. So, I sat in the discomfort of not knowing—no job, no direction—and waited.
What I Learned in These Early Moments of Growth:
Having spent years managing transitions for others during periods of change, I realised I hadn’t been that great at managing my own.
I learned that taking smaller steps was more effective if I truly wanted things to change.
I needed to stop living in the past or desperately reaching for the future and put more energy into the here and now.
Sitting still and reflecting felt awful, AND it was good for me!
My chaotic transitions and pivots has felt like a game of two halves—12 years of doing the same thing repeatedly, with the same habitual tendencies and similar outcomes, and now 12 years into the next half, where I:
Keep the curiosity chip firmly implanted, ensuring reflection is a part of life, regularly asking questions like, “Where am I now? Who am I now?”
Work on nurturing Madam IS but not allowing her to control me, becoming much more assured of who I am and what I am capable of. Now, my statements are more likely to be, “I am learning as I go” rather than “I can’t do this.”
Walk away from situations where my worth isn’t valued, confident in my ability to start again and find something new.
Continue to seek new challenges, adventures, and learning opportunities both in and out of work.
Appreciate that every day can bring pivots; it’s about learning to enjoy them, even when they’re incredibly uncomfortable!
While this might not be the beginning of a “Go-to Guide on How to Pivot in Your Career,” I hope it serves as a message that:
You are not the only one navigating these paths.
Discomfort can sometimes be a friend you didn’t know you wanted to hang out with.
We don’t always need to have all the answers; sometimes, we just need the courage to take the next step.
Pivoting is an action, and for me, it has also become an acronym for initial reflection:
PIVOT: A Framework for Reflection
P – Pause: Take a moment to step back from the hustle. Reflection begins with stillness, giving yourself the space to think.
I – Introspection: Engage in deep introspection. Examine your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to gain insight into your current state.
V – Values: Reflect on your core values. Consider how your actions and decisions align with what is truly important to you.
O – Observation: Observe your life and behaviours objectively. Look at patterns, successes, and challenges with a critical but compassionate eye.
T – Transformation: Use the insights gained to foster personal transformation. Determine what changes or adjustments are necessary to grow and move forward.
In this journey, I've learned that pivoting isn't just about changing direction; it's about growing through reflection, learning to embrace discomfort, and continually moving forward with curiosity and courage.
So, WHAT IS THE PIVOT OR SPIN YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN? ARE YOU STUCK TRYING TO NAVIGATE IT? DROP ME A LINE AND LET’S PAUSE FOR A PIVOT TOGETHER!
Bobby Davis is a qualified executive and team coach with extensive experience in organisational development, business change (the people angle), human resources and personal leadership.
Her coaching experience is against a backdrop of 30+ years working in managerial and human resources/OD roles in the British Army, Not for Profits, Professional Services and most recently with a private equity owned Hotel Group.
She has led the People “strand” within large business transformation programmes, creating people strategies, internal coaching schemes and embedding strong performance cultures, as well as supporting at all levels of an organisation to implement effective change.
She is absolutely passionate in her pursuit to support, challenge and deliver sustainable change for individuals, teams and organisations, one person at a time if necessary!
You can catch her for a chat about coaching, using your body better as a leader and/or supporting you in HR/OD here Bobby Davis FCIPD PCC | LinkedIn
And check out her dulcet tones in “More Than A Lumpy Jumper” - Conversations about Leadership, Life and Learning here More Than a Lumpy Jumper | Podcast on Spotify