#11 | Why More Action Without Reflection Won’t Lead to Promotion or Influence

Join Caroline Esterson in this reflective episode as she revisits the highlights of the past 10 episodes. From the importance of intentional visibility to embracing curiosity and taking messy action, Caroline shares key insights and listener stories that showcase how small moves can lead to significant career shifts. 

Discover actionable tools and resources designed to help you turn insights into action. 

Key Takeaways

• Reflection is crucial for personal and professional growth.
• Hard work alone is insufficient for career advancement.
• Intentionality and visibility are key to success.
• Tools and resources can help translate insights into action.
• Small moves can lead to significant changes in career paths.
• Building psychological safety fosters honest conversations.
• Personal stories can inspire and guide others in their journeys.
• Learning occurs on multiple levels: content, process, and reaction.
• Celebrating progress is essential for motivation and continued growth.

This podcast explores resilience, imposter syndrome, and credibility while unpacking how boundaries, conflict, and feedback shape the way we handle pressure, influence, and guilt at work. It also looks at promotion, work-life balance, people pleasing, decision making, and visibility, offering honest conversations about how to grow professionally without losing your confidence or yourself.

#careertips #highperformance

Ready to make your next bold move? Grab the free Bold Move Audit and join the insider crew. 

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all.

Transcript

Caroline Esterson (00:09.96)
Well, hello there. Welcome back to Little Moves Big Careers, where we don't just wait to be noticed, we get nosy on purpose because success leave clues and we're following the trail. I'm Caroline Esterson, your host, and today's special is a cheeky little sideways shuffle before we launch with gusto into the new season.

I talk a lot about the importance of reflection, so I thought it was only right and proper for me to do a bit of public reflection on the podcast so far. So let's get started by rewinding the tape, shall we, to remind ourselves of our journey together. So we kicked things off with a brutal truth in episode one, didn't we? Yeah, hard work alone is just not enough. Yeah, your thought turning up early saying yes to everything and

dying quietly at your desk would get you promoted. But you learnt it won't. You need to get intentional and visible. We then followed this up with a bonus episode on how to manage those strange managers who seem to be more in the way than helpful. Then swiftly into episode two, the club, we cracked open those invisible networks of nods, favours and lunch invites where the real decisions happen.

And we know it can be really frustrating, but we decoded it so it was easier for you to find a way. A way we'll in. In. We blinked and nearly missed the magic in episode three. We zigged, zagged, U-turned and did the cha-cha slide through our career paths in episode four. We got curious in episode five because of course clever is overrated.

faced our gremlins and slayed them in episode six and embraced messy action in episode seven. Coffee spills, blue and black shoes and everything else. By episode eight, we learned the importance of rising above the line and getting optimistic. Not that toxic kind of positivity, but the kind that helps you build resilience and adapt...

Caroline Esterson (02:24.916)
By episode 8 we learnt the importance of rising above the line and getting optimistic. Not the toxic kind of positivity, but the kind that helps you build resilience and adaptability even when the going gets tough and then, well, by the last episode, by episode 9, we started to get dangerous.

Caroline Esterson (02:52.18)
And then, well, by episode nine, the last episode, we were dangerous, but in a good way, we got intentional. So consider this first season your foundation. Building these great habits will help you show up and be seen in a way that helps you shine. Now, why I chose these episodes is a little bit up for grabs. It was a bit of a brain dump of the key things that people asked me about.

in our workshops or coaching. But I do hope you found them useful. Now, because I recorded these episodes before launching, there was a key message missing. Yep, there's learning there for me too. Now, I never really wanted this podcast to be something you just listen to and hope that somehow through osmosis, you suddenly land the career of your dreams.

It takes more than a good episode, doesn't it? It takes action. And that's why every episode comes with some properly powerful tools and resources to help you move from insight to action. First up, every episode has the bold moves brief. It's your one page cheat sheet with the big ideas, key quotes and bold but doable action steps. Then there's the big conversation starter kits.

Now this one was interesting for me to do because it's especially for leaders. It's a step by step guide to spark a bold 30 minute team conversation based on the episode. Real talk, new habits and better thinking together. And it was interesting because on one level we're talking here about you, about your career. But I also imagine, just imagine if you and your team

and your team leader are dealing with some of these topics together, to having honest conversations about them and to spark real action that you can support each other on. Can you imagine what that would feel like? I that for me is real power there, isn't it? Real power. So I hope that some of you encourage your bosses or if you are a leader, you take a look at some of the conversation starters.

Caroline Esterson (05:13.672)
Maybe just try one safely and see how the conversation goes. Because for me, those conversation starters are really about building that psychological safety, that trust. It's about saying, hey, I'm here, I'm showing up. I'm not always brilliant. I mess up too. But let's look at how together we can make things better. I think that's exciting. I hope you do too. So.

Then in each episode there are also specific tools to help you dig deeper. Here are a few from season one. The messy move tracker for when you need to act but you're not quite ready yet it will help you get going. The flame keeper deck is a set of optimistic prompts. The flame keeper deck is a set of prompts to help you stay optimistic even when

Everything else just feels a little bit heavy. We've got the Curiosity Compass and Quiz. It'll help you spot your style of curiosity and how to use it to your advantage in work. And that's just the start. Honestly, you probably didn't even know half of this existed because I haven't exactly shouted about it. But now you do, so there's no excuses. Go and overdose safely on these downloads.

Every single tool is designed to help your career flourish. Use them, share them or, you know, if you prefer, guard them like that one colleague, you know, the one who guards their favourite mug in the staff canteen fiercely and with passive aggressive post-its. You know, if that's your preference, whatever works really. Personally, I think sharing is honestly the way to go and I hope you do too.

Caroline Esterson (07:21.94)
So let's move on to roll out the red carpet now for some of your favourite moments of season one. These come straight from the direct messages, voice notes, the occasional dramatic TikTok comments section. It's been fun. It's been really fun listening to what you have to say. A lot of you said actually the same thing. I really wish I had this earlier in my career and honestly.

I feel the same, which is exactly why I've done this. I don't want you to have to go through some of the painful experiences that so many of the people I interviewed went through. And me too, if I'm honest, I definitely have the battle scars of wear the t-shirt, but more on that later. You told me what works is the mix, you know, that, that mix between research, reframes and the honest stories and the fact that it doesn't get too heavy. You said it was a bit like a Ted talk meets a pub rant over a pint. I'm down with that.

But some of the specifics that you've mentioned to me are really interesting. Sliding doors was a relevation for some of you. The whole smooth... But some of the specifics... Can I get it right? Specifics you've mentioned to me were really interesting too. Sliding doors was a relevation. I'm not doing well on my words today, am I?

But some of the specifics you have mentioned to me are really interesting. Sliding doors was a revelation for some of you. That whole small move, big shift realisation hit hard. The fact that if you're really present, you're there spotting the opportunities. But if you're not, you won't. Apparently one listener paused the episode, emailed a recruiter and got a call back the next day.

It was a two millimetre move, but it changed everything. And the gremlin translator was a certified hit. So many of you said it helped you reframe those, you know, nasty little voices in your head. Not as evident as you're failing, but as a sign you're actually growing because stretch brings static and fear. Well, fear actually shows you care that you can be bothered. One listener even named her Gremlin Linda for some strange reason.

Caroline Esterson (09:37.64)
She said Linda panics every time she gets praise and she runs on loop when she gets the slightest bit of criticism. But now she's learning to see that feedback is fuel and it's helpful to her. I love that. Another listener told me how they've been tweaking and reworking a slide deck for a presentation to senior leaders They had a really exciting improvement idea.

but they were nervous and they just kept putting it off. Then they listened to episode seven and it just hit them. They weren't actually perfecting anything. They were just stalling. So they saved the deck, hit send, and they've already had a positive response. How cool is that? That right there is the message of Little Moves Big Careers. Stop waiting. Take control. Keep moving and keep learning.

You lot are absolute legends. I have loved hearing what you're up to. Your little wins, your bold moves, your crazy moments. So to all of you that have taken the time to message me, a really heartfelt thank you. But I want more. I'm so needy, aren't I? All of these stories came from people I know because they know this about me. I love a good conversation.

I'm a cheerleader and challenger and a champion. It's just how I work. So please, even if you don't know me, we'll soon be friends. Get in touch. I will read every message. Tell me what's on your mind. What's landing? What's shifting? What's frustrating you right now at work? You can contact me at Caroline at inspireyourgenius.com. And hey, you know.

You might even have something that you want to share on the podcast. That'd be amazing. Pitch me an episode idea. Send me a career quote crime that drives you up the wall or hit me with a juicy listener dilemma for Auntie Caro to weigh in on. My inbox is open. Please come and say hi.

Caroline Esterson (11:50.246)
So season one is wrapped up but it's not the end it really is the start of something bigger. You now see the game for what it is you've started to name it you've taken a few bold little moves and now you just keep going because careers aren't built in episodes they're built in the in-between bits the awkward follow-up message

Maybe awkward because you really enjoyed the meeting, but you have absolutely no idea where it'll lead. Still, something somewhere is telling you, stay in touch. You don't know how or why. It would be so much easier not to send the message, but it could be incredible if you do. So you do. You make that choice. The two millimetres shift in how you show up.

where you stop just doing what you have to do and start bridging the gap between what you're asked for and what you're actually capable of. Or maybe it's the audacity to speak up before you actually feel ready and the clarity to show up as the person that you want to be right now, not because you've earned that Dunhill cardigan

But because you know it makes sense to act like you belong. Because you do. And if you've been waiting for permission, this is it right here. Signed, sealed, slightly chaotic maybe, just how we like it. But it's here, your permission slip.

And in Season 2, we're going deeper. Braver moves and bolder truths, real people, real pivots and a whole new line of merch because apparently you lot love a mug that says I've got the quann and a 2mm difference. We've got new segments, new dilemmas, more experts and a couple of episodes I already know will ruffle some serious career feathers.

Caroline Esterson (14:02.142)
But I want to take a minute to share something I haven't said enough of. I've talked a lot about you, your careers, your moves, your boldness, but I haven't said enough about me. And if I'm honest, that's something I've been learning in real time. This podcast, it was never just a project for me. It was a promise. It was a promise to myself, to the people I care about and to anyone who's ever felt overlooked or underestimated. And one of those people is my

Fabulous niece Josie. She said to me, you always tell us to be brave and back ourselves. So it's about time you did it too. She's right. So let me tell you why I started this podcast and why I feel I do have the right to sit in front of this mic, share stories and speak plainly about the things I've learnt the hard way. Because Josie also had some feedback that hit me, know, bam, square between the eyes.

She's a marketeer so she knows this stuff. This is what Josie said to me.

Caroline Esterson (15:19.06)
Of course, she's so right, isn't she? I just assumed. Can't assume anything, can you? You know what they say about those that assume. So here goes. Let me formally introduce myself to you. Hello there. I'm Caroline Esterson. And you know what? Early in my career, I really struggled. Work was so frustrating. I job hopped every 18 months chasing the so-called greener grass.

but was never actually greener. Invariably, it was actually exactly the same, just for different players. But here are some of the moments that have shaped me.

In my very first job at Debenhams as a Christmas temp, I was told not to move a single item when I started to have the audacity to re-merchandise menswear. You know, the flow didn't look right to me. I was told, you're just a temporary assistant. You haven't got a clue what you're doing. And that came from a senior who'd been there 30 years. But rather than bite back, I got creative. Eventually she became one of my biggest supporters.

She was also, interestingly, and I still don't know what to make of this, the one who encouraged me to speak up when we were paid overtime to tidy the store before the regional directors visit. And speak up I did. I cornered him and said, can I just ask, who's the most important person for us as sales assistants in your view? The customer, he said, all confident. Of course, I he was going to say that. So I replied.

then why are we being paid overtime to make the store look good for you instead of making it great for the customers every day? Yeah, hang on. In my defense, I was only 18. It was not my most strategic career moment. But you know what? did teach me a crucial lesson. Influence and visibility aren't about being right. And boy, was I right in that minute. They're about reading the room. And I did learn that the hard way.

Caroline Esterson (17:30.748)
I can laugh about it now. Yeah. Moving on. Let's just say I've taken risks I wasn't ready for and touch things actually labeled do not touch. Literally. I've been bullied. I've had misogyny disguised as feedback. I once got a performance review that said improve immediately or you're out. But you know what? I've also been championed by some incredible people and I'm going to name a few of them here. David Hood. Boy.

What a manager. Gordon Fisher, Andy Dennis, Rob Garnsworthy and later on Sally Kemp and Ray Pendleton who took a wild punt on me that paid off and opened the door to a thriving consultancy career. To all of you, thank you. You cheerleaded, challenged and shaped me and I really wouldn't be here without your belief. In the last

25 plus years, I've worked with over 25,000 people in organisations ranging from Ralph Lauren to Channel 4, Royal Mail and Eon. I've got the battle scars, I've earned the t-shirts. And now I want to share the stories so maybe you don't have to hit quite as many walls as I did. And you know what? Since COVID, the conversations have really changed. Careers feel harder to navigate.

people feel more stuck and I realized this podcast could be one way to help. Whether you're to carve a path for yourself or lead a team that deserves better, this is my contribution to you and like any good promise, it's forced me to juggle to carve out time when there actually wasn't any.

to learn on the fly, to show up messy, but show up anyway. Because when you say it out loud, when you make a commitment, when you make it real, you find a way. I've also learnt to slow down a bit, to try stopping cramming, stop, to stop trying to cram every... I've also learnt to slow down a bit, to stop trying to cram every idea into one sentence.

Caroline Esterson (19:53.788)
still working on that one, and to slow down my speech too. But more than anything, this whole season was a mirror for me too as I researched the psychology, revisited the stories and decoded the little moves. I found myself asking, am I doing this too? Do I notice the signs or do I just barrel straight through them? Do I share my value clearly enough or just hope someone figures it out? So yeah.

You know what? I've learnt a lot, not just about careers, about myself and about you. And I hope to learn even more through season two, because this is something to really remember. You can learn in everything that you do if you're willing to look.

We have a principle in our work that we call CPR. It stands for content process reaction. And it means in whatever you're doing, you have the opportunity to learn on three different levels. You can learn just by absorbing the content, whether that's in a workbook, a podcast, a workshop or a conversation. Just the content matter gives you something to learn about. You can also learn through the process. know, do you like it? Don't you like it?

What do you enjoy about the way that some people are sharing information? What don't you enjoy? What does that tell you about yourself? This is your ability to really reflect on the logical levels of the way that you're learning. And then this last one, this last one is the real juicy one. The R stands for reaction. I bet somewhere along the lines, there have been things that I have done or said in this podcast.

that you've had a reaction to. Now, obviously, I hope that that reaction more often than not is, that's interesting or hmm, I like that, but I bet somewhere you've had a reaction that goes, she's talking rubbish, or it could be something like, just don't like the way she did that. Let's get straight to the point. Let's not mess around here because I know some people just want how tos.

Caroline Esterson (22:06.996)
It's not my nature. I'm never going to do that for you because I know that layering learning in lots of different ways and hearing it in different ways is a really important part of the learning process. So you're never just going to get step one, two, three from me. If that's what you want, you have to go somewhere else. But I hope you stick with me. So when you hear that little voice that goes, that's interesting. What normally happens, what's it followed by?

Followed by a but, isn't it? But. And then that.

Caroline Esterson (22:45.588)
So when you get that little voice in your head going, really? You know what that's followed by, don't you? It's normally followed by a but. And the but is often followed by something like justification. That would never work for me in my context. That doesn't make sense. That whatever, whatever, whatever. Don't care what it is. There's normally some form of justification. What I'd like you to do is change that narrative.

because if you're having a yes but moment, that is your brain going, this is different, this is new, I'm not sure about that. And you want to allow your unconscious brain just to mull it over. So instead of yes but, I want you to translate it to hmm, that's interesting. And just let it go.

Just let it go. Some of my most powerful lessons have been like weeks, months, even years later. I can remember my mum telling me things when I was a kid and it wasn't until.

Caroline Esterson (23:57.457)
Thank

Caroline Esterson (25:10.036)
Some of my most important lessons have come weeks, months, even years later. I remember my mum telling me things when I was a kid, but as an adult, they suddenly popped into my head. Didn't believe them at all at the time. You never do when it's your mum, do you? But I did later and it all suddenly made sense. So I encourage you just, if you're really keen on growing, just let it go, say that's interesting and let it be.

And so you know what, this podcast, it's been one hell of a learning moment for me and I hope it's provided learning for you too. So let's take a minute to look at what you've done. Before we wrap up, I just want you to pause, really pause, put the phone down, stop scrolling, just sit with yourself for a minute or walk with yourself for a minute. Look at how far you've come since episode one. What's changed for you?

What have you seen differently? What little move has actually made a big difference for you? This work you're doing, matters. Because if you don't notice your life, you're going to just, because if you, this work you're doing, matters. Because if you don't notice your life, you're going to drift through it. No one else is going to do this for you. So take a minute, celebrate, and then choose your next two millimeter move.

So thank you for listening, laughing and learning. And not sending me any hate mail after I said meritocracy was a myth. If you're new, go back to the start. But if you're part of the original crew, get ready. Season two is on its way next week and it's career quote crime stars the most wonderful Chris Mooney. I'll introduce him properly to you next week, but you might want to look him up now. Chris will be sharing with you his pet

peave of a career quote and I warn you he really gets behind it. So I encourage you to share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that small moves aren't small, not when they're made with guts intention and a little bit of courage. That's it for today's episode. If you're loving the show, a quick rating or review makes a huge difference. It helps more bold, brilliant people find us.

Caroline Esterson (27:33.704)
Remember, you'll find show notes, tools and team conversation starters over at www.inspireyourgenius.com. Forward class.

Remember you'll find show notes, tools and team conversation starters over at www.inspireyourgenius.com forward slash podcast. And if you want to bring fresh thinking into your team or company, that's literally what we do. Drop us a line and we'll make it sing for you. Until next time, make the move, even if it's tiny, especially if it's tiny.