Take the Lead in Your Career—and Your Life

photo from Pixabay of executive woman in suit holding sign that says “I am your boss”

If you’re a woman with a doctorate navigating a career pivot, you already know it’s about more than updating a résumé or scanning job postings. It’s about redefining your direction, quieting the inner critic, and taking purposeful action toward a future that truly fits you. That’s where self-leadership comes in—a concept first introduced in the late 1980s by leadership scholar Charles C. Manz, who defined it as the practice of influencing yourself to achieve your own goals.

Self-leadership is the ability to take ownership of your actions, mindset, and growth. It’s about steering your own ship instead of waiting for someone else to chart the course. This doesn’t mean going it alone—it means taking responsibility for your vision, choices, and how you show up in the process.

When you practice self-leadership, you:

1. Set clear intentions for where you’re heading.
   For example, a woman with a PhD in biology might decide she wants to move into science policy. She outlines the kind of roles she’s drawn to, the impact she wants to make, and the type of work environment she thrives in—creating a touchstone to guide her decisions.

2. Recognize and shift unhelpful patterns.
   Perhaps you’ve been over-preparing for job applications and sending out very few. Self-leadership means noticing that perfectionism is slowing you down and experimenting with a “good enough” draft that still showcases your brilliance, allowing you to apply more broadly and quickly.

3. Seek out the structure, support, and community you need.
   This could mean enrolling in a structured career program, finding a mentor outside your discipline, joining a peer group of PhD women making similar transitions—and yes, hiring a coach who can help you get clarity, identify blind spots, and keep you moving toward your vision. Instead of waiting for help to find you, you intentionally build your support network.

4. Take small, consistent steps—even when you don’t have it all figured out.
   For instance, setting a goal to have one informational interview each week, updating a section of your LinkedIn profile, or attending a professional networking event—actions that move you forward while clarity unfolds along the way.

It’s tempting to wait until the “right” conditions arrive or until you feel 100% ready. But the truth is, clarity comes from action. Each step you take builds confidence, expands your options, and reinforces that you are capable of creating what you want.

An Invitation to Consider:

• How have you already been exercising self-leadership?

• Where in your life or career could you lead yourself more boldly?

• What might be possible if you actively cultivated self-leadership in this area?

• What small step could you take this week to move forward?

Self-leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting yourself enough to begin.