Are you taking charge of your career, or leaving things to chance?
In this bonus episode, Aoife shares her key takeaways from her conversation with Wanda Wallace, and offers some extra insights that didn't make it into the full interview. If you haven't listened to the full episode yet, make sure to go back and give it a listen.
Here are some of the key insights from Aoife’s chat with Wanda:
You can go sideways, hit a dead end and climb back down, and take longer branches. Breadth of experience matters if you want to reach the top, and a sideways move isn't a step backwards.
Leaders aren't taught how to help people with theirs, and most of us aren't taught to own ours. Bosses are often too busy with their own.
Wanda's reflection exercise: think about the people you admire, what you're proud of, and where you've made a difference. Patterns will emerge.
Being indispensable where you are can keep you there. Bring others in to help with the urgent fires, and show your manager everything on your plate along with your view of what to deprioritize. Ask yourself: am I doing this because I'm good at it, or because I should be doing it?
Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:
Connect with Wanda Wallace | Executive Coach, Top Teams Advisor, Keynote Speaker, Author & Podcast Host:
Episodes You’ll Love:
Episode 285: Fixed vs Growth Mindset at Work
Episode 316: Mastering your Inner Narrative with Owen Fitzpatrick
Resources:
Aoife’s conversation on Wanda’s Podcast
About Happier at Work
Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.
If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.
Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.
Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.