Lead Upwards. Sarah E. Brown

everyone can comfortably do consulting without guaranteed business or health insurance, etc., so you'll have to assess your situation and whether you can transition into leadership through this modality. In my case, I'd already had a consulting practice and an LLC I could use between full‐time jobs, including the legal paperwork from when I'd consulted with different levels of experience.

      Jennifer Rice, who creates learning programs at Pavilion, a member organization for supporting revenue leaders, builds courses to help professionals transition into their first executive‐level roles and succeed once they're there. Rice sees firsthand how “associates” grow into executive roles through getting hands‐on training and access to a supportive community of peers and mentors.

      Many aspiring executives don't get exposed to executive responsibilities in their current jobs, meaning they don't often come across a stretch project that goes into executive territory. This is unlike stretch assignments in other areas of your department or other functions. Pavilion teaches aspiring leaders storytelling with data, financial modeling, and other skills that are required for startup executives, giving them an opportunity to gain a foothold.

      Whether it's through consulting, taking a course at an organization like Pavilion, or learning while in your current role, you can find the skills you need to become successful and will only truly know how it is for you once you give it a shot. Here's your friendly sign from the universe that you deserve to take that shot.

NOTE

      1 1. Mochary, M., MacCaw, A., and Talavera, M. (2019), The Great CEO Within: A Tactical Guide to Company Building, Matt Mochary, p. 108.