Integrating Career Changes

I am often asked how I transitioned from IT services into manufacturing. Some are also aware that this sectoral shift was preceded by my evolution across various roles and are curious how I handled it. My answer has invariably been that it was a mix of mindful choices and opportunities utilised, where every step felt organic and complementary. Each step added a new layer to the professional I am today. In IT services, I learnt speed, agility, and technical breadth; was trained to think fast, deliver faster, and solve complex problems by working together with other SMEs. It’s a world that taught me to be future ready, think on my toes, be customer-oriented, and deeply aware of delivery excellence. Moving into the industry changed the lens, since providing solutions and bringing change are very different asks. Where IT services promoted rapid innovation, manufacturing taught me to focus on adoption. Where services emphasized deadlines and delivery, industry stressed business alignment, ROI, and business value. In services, the deadline was always yesterday; in industry, the goal is to make every decision count — not for IT, but for the business as a whole. Leading digital transformation initiatives helped me shift from the breadth of technology to the depth of implementation — from “what can we do?” to “what truly moves the needle?” I realised the responsibility was from "strategy to change"; it was about enabling outcomes, shaping mindsets, and transforming operations at scale. As for my role transitions, everything added something unique to my toolkit: ☑️As a developer, I understood code and best practices. ☑️As a business analyst, I learnt the art of requirements elicitation . ☑️As a product manager, I understood strategy and how to balance priorities. ☑️As a consultant, I learned how to shape and sell solutions. ☑️As a digital transformation specialist, I became better at systems thinking and change enablement. ☑️And now, apart from all the above, I know the importance of asking the hard questions — Why aren’t the solutions accepted? Are we solving for the right problems? Every new role led to a mindset shift. Every transition was an opportunity to unlearn and learn. And I am still learning everyday! What lessons have shaped your career transitions? #lifelessons #newyearthoughts

My career journey has been anything but a straight line. From part-time jobs tutoring uni students, learning high-end diamond sales, my first ever change analyst gig to my life now as a #multihyphenate #ChangeManagement guru, each twist and turn taught me valuable lessons about pushing through plateaus. In today’s fast-paced world, changing careers or navigating uncertainty isn’t just common—it’s necessary. Here are 3 actionable tips that helped me thrive through each transition: 📍 Embrace Lifelong Learning The skills that got you here will NOT be the ones that get you there. I make it a habit to learn from someone new each month. Continuous exposure to different perspectives expands my world view. 📍 Leverage Your Unique Story Your non-linear journey is your superpower. Use it to your advantage. Highlight your diverse experiences that showcase resilience and problem-solving. This sets you apart in any industry. 📍 Build a Strong Network Transitions become easier when you have the right support system. I’ve found immense value in connecting with people from various fields—sustainability, hospitality, retail, media. These global connections not only provide guidance but open doors to unexpected opportunities. Non-linear doesn’t mean uncertain. It means adaptable, versatile, and ready for whatever the future holds. What strategies have helped you navigate career changes? Let’s learn from each other. #CareerChange #GrowthMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #NonLinearCareer #LinkedInNewsAustralia

Singapore’s workforce is in a skills reset. What got you hired won’t keep you relevant by 2030. CORE (Double Down) Human skills no machine replicates: • Critical & Creative Thinking • Leadership & Influence • Empathy & Listening • Self-Management & Motivation • Learning Agility EMERGING (Upskill Now) Demand is exploding across Singapore’s digital-green economy: • AI & Data Literacy • Cyber & Network Fluency • Sustainability Intelligence • Talent & Capability Design OUT-OF-FOCUS (Deprioritise) Routine, rule-based, tool-specific skills — automate or move on. Reality Check The edge isn’t tech alone. It’s the fusion of human judgment with digital fluency. Those who can lead with empathy, think critically, and learn fast will own the future of work. What you can do: 1. Audit: list 6 skills you use weekly and tag each Core/Emerging/Out-of-Focus. 2. Close gaps: pick one Core to master and one Emerging to apply in a real project within 90 days. 3. Institutionalise: align learning to SkillsFuture/Jobs-Skills frameworks and employer demand data.  Outcomes you must measure (minimum) • Two demonstrable projects in 6 months that show a Core skill applied with an Emerging capability. • Evidence of impact (time saved, revenue enabled, risk reduced, stakeholder adoption). 

It’s not perks that keep you stuck—it’s your brain protecting the ego it built around your role. For a long time, I believed my role defined who I was: my confidence, my worth, my voice. That belief felt safer than tying identity to physical or mental ability, because roles demand action, results, and recognition. Titles give structure, and structure feels like certainty. The problem begins when the brain mistakes a role for a permanent identity. Research in neuroscience and attachment suggests our brains prioritize stability, creating powerful inertia around the professional labels we’ve internalized. Studies on career transitions reveal a counterintuitive pattern: identity loss from role changes can generate distress that rivals—or even exceeds—financial loss, particularly when financial security is stable. Role threat feels existential, not merely economic. When identity freezes around a title, curiosity drops, defensiveness rises, and leadership can quietly shift from creating value to protecting position—often without conscious awareness. I learned this the hard way. Growth began the day I stopped letting my brain run my ego and took responsibility for authorship. I started holding my role lightly and leading from who I am, not what I’m called. Leaders who separate self-worth from title tend to recover faster, adapt better, and build healthier cultures. The shift is simple, but not easy: use your role to act—but don’t let it decide who you are. #ImpossibleTransition #Identity #System

🔍 Looking for Your Next Executive Role? Start Here. For senior leaders navigating a career transition, the first—and often most overlooked—step is knowing what you’re truly good at. Before updating your CV or reaching out to your network, take a moment to reflect: What energises you? What comes naturally? What do others consistently rely on you for? Patrick Lencioni’s model of The 6 Working Geniuses offers a powerful lens for this self-discovery: ⚙️ Wonder – You see potential and ask the big questions. ⚙️ Discernment – You have intuitive judgment and insight. ⚙️ Enablement – You support and assist others with ease. ⚙️ Invention – You generate original ideas and solutions. ⚙️ Galvanising – You rally people and drive momentum. ⚙️ Tenacity – You push projects through to completion. Understanding your top geniuses helps you align your next role with your natural strengths and passions, not just your experience. This clarity is your compass. It leads not only to roles you can do, but to roles you’ll thrive in. 🧭 Ready to explore your working genius? It might just be the key to unlocking your next chapter. #ExecutiveLeadership #CareerTransition #WorkingGenius #PatrickLencioni #JobSearchStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfAwareness

Ever felt like you were stuck in a previous version of yourself? 🤔 Career transitions can be one of the most challenging journeys, not just because of the new skills you need to learn but because of the shift in self-identity that comes with it. 🚀 I was recently reminded of this during a conversation with Dr. Shalini Lal, where she shared her personal journey and said: “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.” 🎓 Often, we hold onto our old identities, making it harder to fully embrace new opportunities. 🌱 Here’s the thing: in order to grow, sometimes you need to let go of who you were. It’s not just about changing your job title; it’s about adopting a whole new mindset. 💡 So, how do you make this shift? Here are three tips to help you transition more smoothly: 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 Start by seeing yourself as a student again. Be open to learning, unlearning, and relearning. This shift in perspective can make you more adaptable and open to new ideas, allowing you to grow in your new role. 🌟 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲) It’s okay to set aside your previous title or role to fully step into your new one. This doesn’t mean you’re losing your experience; it means you’re making room for new growth. Give yourself permission to explore this new chapter without the weight of past expectations. 🌍 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 Whether it’s friends, mentors, or a community, having the right support system can make all the difference. They can offer perspective, encouragement, and advice as you navigate this shift. 🤝 Remember, every transition is an opportunity to redefine yourself. Don’t be afraid to let go of who you were to become who you’re meant to be. ✨ How have you navigated your own career transitions? I’d love to hear your stories and insights—let’s learn from each other! 💬 #CareerTransition #GrowthMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #LifelongLearning #PersonalGrowth

Leadership Transitions and Identity Change One of the biggest challenges for leaders in transition isn’t just learning new skills or adapting to a different role—it’s the identity shift that must accompany it. Whether stepping into the top team or preparing to step away, these transitions are tectonic shifts that happen below the surface. Who am I now? What do I stand for? How do I make sense of my evolving role? These are not logistical questions. They are questions of identity—and answering them requires understanding how our sense of self is formed and reshaped over time. How Identity is Formed Our narrative identity is the evolving story we tell ourselves to make sense of who we are—connecting our past experiences, present realities, and future aspirations into a coherent sense of self. This story isn’t fixed; it constantly shifts based on our reflections, life experiences, and the feedback we receive from others. Three key forces influence identity formation: 🧍🏻 1. Intrapersonal Factors: The Internal Dialogue At the core of identity formation are internal processes that help us construct a coherent sense of self: • Agency: The pursuit of personal values, purpose, and autonomous decision-making. • Communion: The need for connection, belonging, and shared meaning. Throughout life, we shift between these forces. Early in our careers, belonging and external validation often shape our decisions. As we mature, purpose and internal conviction begin to take precedence. Effective leadership requires integrating both—the ability to lead with conviction while remaining connected to others. 👩🏽🤝👨🏼 2. Interpersonal Factors: The Stories We Hear About Ourselves Identity isn’t formed in isolation. We construct it through interaction with: • Storytelling Partners: Peers, mentors, and colleagues who help shape and reinforce our narrative. • Social Feedback: The reactions and reflections we receive from others, which validate or challenge our sense of self. Leadership transitions often involve stepping into new rooms with new people—which means encountering new narratives about who we are. This is where tools like The Leadership Circle Profile become valuable, offering structured feedback to help leaders make sense of their evolving identity. 🏛️ 3. Cultural Factors: The Master Narratives We Inherit Beyond personal and social influences, cultural narratives shape how we define success, ambition, and leadership: • Master Narratives: Dominant cultural stories that define what “good leadership” looks like. • Alternative Narratives: Emerging perspectives that challenge old norms and create space for new models of leadership. For leaders navigating a transition, challenging outdated narratives about power, success, or influence is often necessary for growth. The stories we tell ourselves determine how we lead. When leaders embrace this identity work, they don’t just navigate change—they self-author it.

𝟯 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 "You're ex-McKinsey, you'll easily get coaching clients!" Some friends exclaimed when I told them in 2014 that I was leaving consulting to become a Career Coach. Even though my brain skeptically waved a red flag, my heart was rooting for the fairy tale. I secretly hoped their words would magically come true. Spoiler: they didn't! Indeed, the McKinsey & Company brand cracked open a few doors, but I had to carve out my coaching practice and reputation with relentless dedication and persistence! Being a good consultant was one thing, but coaching? That’s a different arena. I had to drastically upgrade my arsenal: - Certifications Galore: Transitioning from consulting charts to human hearts, I got certified with ICF, Marshall Goldsmith, and others to polish my coaching skills to a reflective sheen. - Psychology Buff: With an engineering background, the realm of psychology felt like uncharted waters. I plunged in, learning Transactional Analysis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and more to bridge the gap. - Tool Mastery: Thanks to my engineering plus consulting lineage, I adore working with tools and assessments. I dived into certifications for MBTI, STRONG, HOGAN, etc., turning them into my new gadgets. After a decade and maybe 8-10 more certifications, I've cemented my place as a Career Coach. If you’re contemplating a career transition, remember: 1. Brand has a shelf life; past glory fades quickly. While great work done in the past can be leveraged and can give you some good karma points, it has its own shelf life. On one hand, you need to move fast, get traction leveraging that shelf life, at the same time remember that you must keep producing great work.     2. Transitions take an emotional toll. Career transitions, especially from mid-career onwards, are full-fledged projects. One needs to plan things well—not just finances, but also emotions. Just like entrepreneurship, the initial days in a new role can take a huge emotional toll. Do not hesitate to ask for support when needed. 3. Clarity is an accelerator. Having 100% clarity on what you want in life might be asking too much, but the more clarity you have, the faster you will settle into the new role/endeavor. Invest enough time to get clarity. You will only thank yourself for spending this time. Navigating career transitions is like charting unexplored territories. Each journey is unique and filled with lessons waiting to be discovered. What’s your story? Have you ever embarked on a significant career change, or are you considering one now? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. Let's learn from each other and build a community of support and inspiration. P.S Picture Credit - Thanks to my annual office cupboard clean up drive yesterday! #CareerTransition #CareerCoaching #LifeAfterConsulting

More often than not, people who change jobs later admit they did it too early. They moved not because they had clarity, but because they were uncomfortable with not knowing. That discomfort is costing people their best career moves. If you feel restless at work but cannot yet articulate what you want instead, that is not a weakness. It may be the most strategically useful phase of your career. Here’s how to use it well: 1. Treat uncertainty as an expansion, not a gap When you stop forcing yourself to name the next role, you give your thinking room to widen. Instead of asking what job you want, ask where you have done your best work before and under what conditions. Patterns emerge when pressure lifts. 2. Learn to separate signals from fear Ambiguity makes everything louder, especially anxiety. Fear pushes you toward familiar roles that look good on paper. Curiosity shows up quietly in the work you lose track of time doing. One leads to safety. The other leads to direction. 3. Build your future around skills, not titles Titles lock you into narrow paths. Skills travel. Inventory what you are genuinely good at and where those capabilities could matter in different contexts. Then identify one or two skills worth deepening before you decide anything else. 4. Replace purpose statements with purposeful days Purpose rarely appears as a single sentence. It shows up in how you allocate your time, who you help consistently, and what you choose not to pursue. Alignment comes from daily decisions, not grand declarations. Career clarity is often iterative and occasionally messy. Rushing to resolve uncertainty usually trades short-term relief for long-term regret. If you are between chapters, resist the urge to force an answer. The uncertainty is not something to escape. It’s information worth listening to.

Moving into a management role is a major change... Here's a first-hand account of my recent experience and what I have been learning ~~~~~~~~ I recently moved into the role of Acting Engineering Project Manager. This is my first time in a formal management role, and I have been learning every day. The scope of my new role spans the execution of all aspects of the project, including: ▪︎software ▪︎hardware ▪︎human factors ▪︎safety ▪︎cybersecurity ▪︎digital transformation This broad scope keeps every day dynamic, challenging, and interesting... and with the expanded scope also comes new growth areas. ~~~~~~~~ Two months into the role, here are my three major learning curves: 1. Change from executing tasks to enabling the team 🎯 The biggest change has definitely been moving from executing my own tasks to planning them for others. My focus is now on enabling team members to hit their milestones. Sometimes I have to resist my urge to jump in myself; a conductor is not the one playing all the instruments. Their focus is on conducting the orchestra. 2. Handling increased complexity 📊 As a manager, the daily complexity is much higher. Often, it feels like balancing many spinning plates. Prioritization takes on a different meaning when *everything* is important. Timeblocking my calendar and sending myself emails of To-Dos has been very helpful. There is no easy solution to these situations, and I am treating each one as a learning opportunity. 3. Achieving team flow 🔗 Communication is key to keeping the team informed and aligned towards the same goals. Meaningful meetings are important for this synergy. I have been doubling down on my meeting skills. These include sending out clear agendas, taking thorough notes, and tracking action items to closure. With a wider field-of-view, it is easy for me to overload a team member with information. So I have been working on pacing information and sharing with intent. Team flow requires clarity. Clarity comes from delivering relevant information in a concise manner. ~~~~~~~~ Two months down ✅️ What is something you remember from transitioning between different types of roles? #engineering #projectmanagement #fieldnotes