When Excellence Isn’t Enough: Recognizing Career Stagnation
Not long ago, I spoke with a senior enterprise IT leader who seemed — on paper — to be in a perfect role.
Strong team, solid results, executive recognition.
But as we talked, it became clear: they weren’t energized anymore.
“I’m still delivering,” they said, “but it feels like I’m just solving the same problems faster. I’m not really growing.”
It’s a conversation I’ve had many times as a recruiter — and it’s often the first sign that someone has quietly outgrown their role.
Not because they’ve failed — but because they’ve mastered it.
If you’ve been feeling restless, but can’t quite define why, here are some signs you may have outgrown your position:
1. Mastery has replaced challenge.
What once stretched your skills now feels automatic. Instead of building new capabilities, you’re refining the ones you already have.
2. Your impact feels capped.
You’re doing great work — but the real transformation or next-level opportunities seem to happen elsewhere.
3. Strategic conversations are happening without you.
You’re informed, but not involved. Others are steering the bigger decisions about growth, innovation, or direction.
4. You’re focused more on mentoring than innovating.
While coaching others is rewarding, you realize your own technical or leadership development has stalled.
5. You daydream about bigger problems.
You catch yourself thinking about larger-scale initiatives, broader business challenges, or leadership roles that stretch your thinking in new ways.
Recognizing it is the first step. Acting on it is the next.
In the case of the leader I mentioned, we worked together to find a new opportunity — one that demanded fresh thinking, expanded their leadership scope, and reignited their professional growth.
It wasn’t an easy decision.
But a few months after making the move, they told me:
“It’s the first time in years I feel like I’m learning again — not just delivering.”
At senior levels, growth doesn’t always come with loud signals. Sometimes it starts with a quiet feeling:
There’s more you’re capable of.
And it’s time to find it.
If this resonates, it might be time to ask yourself:
Where do you want to grow next?
P.S.
If you’re starting to wonder whether it’s time for a new challenge, I’m always happy to be a sounding board. Feel free to reach out — no pressure, just a conversation.