After securing a second round of funding from the President’s Community Fund, the next challenge began: obtaining approval from Imperial College’s Estate and Property Board. We learned during our first round of funding that this process could take months, and that progress could easily stall if even one stakeholder became a bottleneck. This second round […]
Early in your career, saying ‘yes’ feels like the obvious path to success. A manager asks if you can take on another project. ‘Yes’. A colleague needs help preparing for an important presentation. ‘Yes’. A cross-functional team is looking for volunteers. ‘Yes’. For a period of time, this strategy works. Saying yes allows you to […]
During my time in consulting, I was consistently a top performer. Every annual review reinforced a clear trajectory. I was progressing, recognized, and on track. Until one project changed everything. After my manager delivered the feedback, I hung up the call and just sat there. I felt shocked, angry, and deeply unsettled. Twelve weeks of […]