The Fork In The Road: Personal Decisions That Change Our Career Trajectory
By Blandine Lacroix
Looking back, I’ve made many choices in my work life that seemed crazy to my peers.
In my experience, we talk a lot in America about family coming first. But if you look at how many of us organize our days and prioritize our time when push comes to shove, our daily choices don’t reflect family coming first. So it can be a bit shocking when someone does indeed take a step back away from the hamster wheel, especially when it’s someone perceived to be on the “fast track” as an executive leader. It can seem nuts to set career advancement aside.
I’ve discovered that prioritizing the personal doesn't mean you have to give up on your career goals. You can’t always “have it all” — at least not all at the same time — but personal fulfillment and professional success don’t need to be mutually exclusive. When I look back, I can see that the decisions I’ve made in my journey have shaped the leadership values I hold dear.
How I Took A Step Down To A Better Life
Years ago, when I was a senior-level executive stationed in Copenhagen, I was offered a job at the U.S. affiliate’s headquarters. This meant taking a position two levels down with a lesser scope of responsibility — not to mention colder winters. But my biggest concern was personal. At the time, I was trying to start a family and was focused on making that a priority. A move to another country simply felt too disruptive given this priority.
But a mentor of mine helped me to see the opportunity in a different light. She urged me to consider that a less demanding job that I already knew well meant I could still get valuable U.S. market experience and have more time to focus on starting a family, which I had already put on hold many times due to the demands of my work.
So I took a deep breath, and I took the job. Most people I worked with thought I was crazy to take a lower-level job in a foreign country. But I came to believe my mentor was right. The job was fascinating, we turned the business around, and most importantly, during that time, I adopted my daughter. It’s true what they say, sometimes: “It is necessary to take one step backwards to take two steps forward.” Take the time you need for the things that matter most to you. You are never making sacrifices when you make decisions that help you achieve goals whether they are personal or professional.
Lead Others To Prioritize Their Personal Goals
After a few years in the U.S., I was asked to return to Copenhagen to take on a more senior-level role. I had long expected this was coming — and I decided to decline. Many people couldn’t understand how I could turn down an opportunity to move up. But I knew it was possible to achieve your goals on your own terms and timeline. I’d just adopted a child and needed to focus on raising my family. And, I thought the work I was doing at that time was meaningful and fulfilling. So I stayed, and eventually, I was promoted. I was grateful that I had truly put family first, trusting that the career side of the equation would be there for me when the time was right.
I know that achieving this type of balance can be easier said than done. It’s disappointing when people aren’t supportive of the decisions you make for your personal and professional journey. But just remember — in my experience, they will be balanced out by others who mentor and sponsor you and will act as your guiding light. This was true for me. I had a solid support system of people who nudged me when I needed to be challenged and somehow always knew the right things to say, and the right questions to ask. They opened up my mind to the possibilities.
Managing Expectations So You Can Live Fully
To protect your personal life, it’s important to manage work expectations. As in any relationship, we must verbalize clearly what is important to us and establish some norms early on. It’s okay to be intentional about your schedule and when you are or are not available for things like meetings. My team knows that I won’t schedule meetings or check my work messages before 8:30 in the morning, because my focus at that time is on being a mom and getting my daughter to school. I expect others to respect this too, and I do the same for the needs of others.
Be courageous and open in telling your employer up-front what matters and set clear boundaries. This may be harder early in your career when you are still finding your footing and figuring out your priorities. But it shouldn’t be naive to think that many companies do strive to foster a culture that supports their employees’ needs. Take the opportunity early on to establish what you need to be successful.
It’s not crazy to insist that your personal needs are equally as important as your career objectives. Because I can tell you, from experience, it’s not crazy to go for what you want. In fact, I think you owe it to yourself.
About The Author:
Blandine Lacroix is the Senior Vice President, Strategy and Rare Disease at Novo Nordisk where she leads the region’s long term strategy work and oversees commercial performance and business transformation for Novo’s $1B-revenue Rare Disease Business at the U.S. affiliate.