EP 548: Why Success Can Leave Leaders Feeling Lost

What makes Karunah Thomas with Karunah Thomas Coaching and Consulting a good neighbor?

We talk with Karunah Thomas about why career transitions can be some of the most challenging seasons in a professional’s life, even when the change looks positive on paper. Whether it’s a promotion, a new leadership role, or an organizational change, Karuna explains that success often depends less on gaining new skills and more on evolving the way you see yourself.

Karunah shares her concept of “weatherproofing your identity,” using the analogy that while we cannot control life’s forecast, we can prepare for it. She explains why many high-performing professionals struggle when they rely on the same habits and identity that made them successful in a previous role instead of adapting to the demands of their next chapter.

One of the biggest misconceptions we discuss is the belief that leadership growth is simply about acquiring more training or technical expertise. Karunah explains that for directors, executives, and emerging leaders, the real challenge is often learning to let go of being the expert and embracing the role of developing, empowering, and trusting others. The shift from individual contributor to leader requires a different mindset as much as a different skill set.

We also explore Karunah’s personal journey from global supply chain leadership into human resources and executive coaching. She shares how an unexpected career transition in 2020 challenged her own identity and ultimately became the foundation for the work she does today, helping leaders build resilience that isn’t dependent on job titles or organizational success.

The conversation closes with practical advice anyone can apply, including taking inventory of your strengths, recognizing the habits that no longer serve your current role, and intentionally building an identity that can withstand change and uncertainty.

If you’re navigating a career transition, leading a team, or looking to grow as a leader with greater confidence and resilience, this conversation offers practical insights that extend well beyond the workplace.

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Guest Info: Karunah Thomas Coaching and Consulting | https://www.karunathomas.com/

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Sophia Yvette.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you a native coach and consultant? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing our good neighbor, Karuna Thomas, with KTC. Karuna, it's great to have you on today. Now we are so excited to learn more about you and your business. So go ahead and tell our listeners just a little bit more about what you do.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Yes, thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really looking forward to our conversation.

Coaching Leaders Through Career Change

SPEAKER_01 0:41

So I'm the founder of Karuna Thomas Coaching and Consulting. I work mainly with corporate leaders who are navigating career transitions, whether it's a promotion, a job change, re-ord, new role, any major change that they're experiencing. So through executive coaching, speaking, and my framework that I call weatherproofing your identity, I help them equip them for their next chapter. So, because I've learned that success isn't just about learning new skills, it's also about evolving our identity that allows us to lead at that next level or the next chapter.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Well, Karuna, I could not agree with you more there. And jumping in back in time for a second here, learning more about you, where was your passion for this type of industry born?

Building Playbooks Across Global Roles

SPEAKER_01 1:35

Yeah, so looking back, I've spent most of my life creating playbooks or frameworks. So whether it is moving across countries, working in different countries, 35 plus countries that I've worked across virtually and in person, and leading brand launches, stepping into roles and challenges in life where you didn't necessarily have a playbook or a roadmap. What started surfacing for me was how can I make it easier for the next person that comes on board? You know, how can I minimize someone else's learning curve and accelerate their growth? So that pretty much has been my motto. And after nearly 20 years in corporate supply chain, international supply chain, I transitioned into executive coaching. And what surprised me was that leaders weren't necessarily struggling with lack of capability or skills. It was more trying to succeed in a new role with the previous identity, with the identity that helped them succeed in their last one. So that realization became the foundation of proofing your identity and the work that I do today.

Why Skills Are Not The Block

SPEAKER_02 2:50

So, Karuna, when it comes to weatherproofing your identity, what is the biggest misconception you face about what you do?

SPEAKER_01 3:00

Yes, with weatherproofing, it's similar to the weather. The analogy is exactly the weather. When the weather changes, there's not a whole lot we can do, but we look at the forecast and prepare accordingly. Whether it's good weather, we want to go out. If it's bad weather, we take the necessary precautions. If it's cold, we wear jackets. So it's the same thing with weatherproofing. Your identity, the misconception around that is that leadership development or career transitions is about building new skills, gaining more training, which is also the case. But the leaders that come to me are already at that level, at the higher level, executive level, directors, VPs, they already have the expertise and the capabilities. So what we notice or observe is that letting go of an identity that's no longer serving them in that next role or chapter. For example, when a very simple example, when a subject matter expert, an individual contributor becomes a manager, a people leader, they have always seen success by delivering and being the subject matter expert, but making that transition, evolving to where they lead the subject matter experts and they delegate. That's the new identity that they need to evolve into. So it's not necessarily about gaining more skills, gaining more capabilities. It is about letting go of what's no longer serving you to become successful in that next version role or

Who Karuna Helps And How

SPEAKER_01 4:34

chapter requires.

SPEAKER_02 4:35

Well, Karuna, I am already loving this conversation we're having today, but we're gonna go ahead and switch gears here for a second. Now, we do know that marketing is the heart of every business, especially in your industry. So ideally, who are you looking to help today? And how are you able to attract them?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

So I work with again leaders going through any career transitions, any major changes, or just learning to grow in their roles. I'm on LinkedIn, I'm I work with different coaching companies as well. Yeah, that's the audience that I'm I tailor to are career and corporate leaders.

The 2020 Pivot That Tested Identity

SPEAKER_02 5:19

So, Karuna, as a coach yourself along this journey, what is the biggest challenge you faced?

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Yes, actually, when I reflect back 2020, which I'm sure we all remember was the year of COVID and a lot of different struggles and challenges that everyone faced. And I made that decision to transition from a global supply chain into HR and executive coaching. What I thought was going to be a slam dunk because I had all the experience and different expertise, turned out to be the biggest shocker where it was not a slam dunk. Doors were not opening. And I looked back wondering I have all this experience in logistics, operations, international supply chain, ERGs, women's leadership. It almost felt like all that just disappeared overnight when the doors were not opening for me to make that transition. And that's when I realized how much of our worth and value and self we tie to titles and companies and our roles. So the whole experience, and of course, through my 2000 hours of coaching across 300 clients became the inspiration for weatherproofing your identity. My own struggle, and now recognizing that other leaders struggled through sometimes promotions, redundancy, getting a new job, get a changing cities, even parenting when you are a new parent, then when your child leaves for college, empty nesters, retirement, all these we tie our worth or our identity to those roles. So that those challenges have again helped me with my framework around weatherproofing your identity, where we are able to navigate those transitions, evolve and adapt without losing our sense of value, worth or a sense of self.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

I love that.

Well-Being Beyond Work And Titles

SPEAKER_02 7:19

And in terms of balance, what do you like to do outside of work for fun and a little R?

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Oh, yes, yes. This is something that I always coach holistically with my clients as well. That work life that I don't know if the word is balance anymore, but it's absolutely making sure that we're making time and leading a holistic life. A career is one aspect. And in fact, the book that I love, the five elements of well-being, is we have a thriving life if we are balancing or making sure we are thriving in all five buckets, which is career or purpose, social, community, physical, mental, and financial. So I have a creative side to me, an artistic outlet to dance and perform. So I've been performing Bollywood, Indian Bollywood dancing and Paratnatyam for almost a decade. And the most recent one, which is really close to my heart, is theater. And I finally got to get back into theater recently because that was a big part of my growing up school days, college days. I literally lived for our annual theater performance. So that's where I get to explore different roles, different identities, personas, and which really helps with growth and expansion that you otherwise don't get to explore in your day-to-day life.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Wonderful.

Where To Connect And Start

SPEAKER_02 8:44

Well, Karuna, we have certainly had a very full circle interview today. But what our listeners really want to know is where they can go to learn more about KTC and the services you provide.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

Yes, so I am very active on LinkedIn, so they can surely follow me and reach out to me on LinkedIn, which is again Corona Pi. I go under Corona Pi over there. I regularly share insights on leadership, career transitions, and weatherproofing your identity. My website is Corunathomas.com. Again, I specialize in executive coaching, leadership development, and speaking engagements across a range of different topics, with weatherproofing your identity being my signature framework and top.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

Well, as a little bonus for our listeners today, what is the first step to weatherproofing your identity?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Yes, it is recognizing what are some of the strengths and successes that they've had, making a list of all their successes and strengths, and making and checking what worked, what served them earlier, and what is now probably coming in the way of their success. That I would say is the first step. Actually, doing an inventory of your successes and strengths in your different chapters.

SPEAKER_02 10:11

Well, Karuna, I really appreciate you being on the show today. We wish you and your business the best moving forward. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Thank you for having me. Thank you so much.

Closing And Nominate A Business

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfrisco.com. That's gnpfrisco.com or call 469-221-9345.