Saying goodbye to the yellow brick road of traditional careers means embracing a path that’s less predictable, more personal, and full of possibilities.

Last week, I talked about shelving the Resolution Mindset in favor of a Mini-strategy Model for your 2026 goals. The same approach works beautifully for professional development. Break your goals into manageable parts and build from there.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions every January only to give up by spring? The real problem isn’t a lack of resilience or commitment. Thinking through these quick questions now sets you up for success all year.

Have you ever spotted an opportunity to add value to a project beyond the original scope? Here’s one way to use the C.A.R.E. Model to communicate impact at work.

You don’t need a leadership title to show impact. Small roles, approached strategically, can demonstrate real outcomes and influence.

You don’t have to have a huge role or accomplishment to demonstrate your value and impact. Here, I break down parts from my last post to look at drilldown examples of the C.A.R.E. Model, featuring specific tasks or projects.

How do you show that you made a difference in your job?  That’s what I call the “so what” of your performance or your program’s impact. Whether it’s a promotion package, project summary, job interview or resume – it’s all the same with tweaks for length and depth.