There’s a tonne of literature focussed on easing the transition back to work after maternity leave. However, there’s very little on the topic of how to prepare yourself for it, career-wise.
In my case, I did what I do best with any uncertainty I’m faced with – I grossly over-prepared for it. So after some trial and error, deliberation and reflection, I’m here to save you some effort and share my shortlist of how you can prepare yourself for maternity leave (or any form of extended leave).
I hope you find it useful.
Broaden your understanding of the industry
I joined Redington in August 2020, after relocating from Australia to the UK during the pandemic. Since relocating I’ve been tasked with strategy, growth and business development in 4 different industry subsets – UK wealth, global pension sponsors, UK defined contribution and sustainable investment.
Each industry subset has its own set of regulatory considerations, competitive pressures, industry trends, topical debates and aspirations. A deep industry understanding creates the foundation from which you build the different pillars of your career. These pillars can be the specific outputs you deliver to add value to your firm, your personal brand or your specialist knowledge niche.
It’s a stretch to believe you’ll return to work the exact same person you are today. Therefore, it’s only natural to want to adapt. Broadening your knowledge base ahead of taking extended leave can help you understand your options. It can help you position yourself for an adapted role on your return to work (if that’s what you want), and position it in a way that will be value-additive for your organisation.
This broader understanding has helped me keep an eye on the future.
Embrace (and where possible, ramp up) your network
My colleagues, industry friends and networks are the ones that make my career fulfilling. They hype you up when you’re down. They check you when you get over-confident. They help you learn. They learn from you.
Together, you progressively get better.
Checking in with your network can take the focus away from yourself. It reminds you of what other people are going through. Helping others work through their challenges and priorities can make you feel more connected.
It also has the added benefit of keeping you abreast of what’s topical in your industry, what’s new, what’s changing, what’s getting on people’s nerves and of course – The Goss.
A year or two away in the context of a 40-year career is negligible and the industry we work in doesn’t do a 180 overnight. People remember how you make them feel and your competence. Even if you have baby-brain and are questioning your competence, your network will still remember the ‘how you make them feel’ part – and that counts for something.
I was initially uncomfortable with the thought of my personal life being on display (after a certain point, it’s literally impossible to hide that you’re growing a person inside you). Having forced myself to get over it, I’ve now realised that it’s opened up a much more valuable dialogue with industry peers, one that fosters higher-quality, more candid, long-term relationships.
Focus on impact and outcomes, not just activity
It’s easy to fall into the trap of just getting through as much ‘work’ as you can before heading off. I initially found myself frantic trying to fit more into every day and pushing myself to progress on initiatives that didn’t really have an end point.
Adjusting KPIs and measures of success is important when you learn that you’re due to take time off. It can allow you to adapt your day-to-day to acknowledge the upcoming period of extended leave. This may not be possible in all roles but I encourage you to have an active dialogue with your line manager about it.
For example, a focus on high impact shorter term initiatives that have measurable outcomes increases the likelihood of you feeling fulfilled and having a sense of achievement as you head off (in addition to supporting performance outcome discussions).
I wouldn’t underestimate the positive impact of completion bias.
Know your value and milestone your achievements
As my colleagues can attest, I’m already the Queen of FOMO when it comes to work. You may not be as intense as me, but it’s natural to feel a little anxious about what you’ll be missing while you’re away. This is often brought on by well-intentioned enquiries:
- “So how long are you going to take off Sadia?”
- “Would you come back sooner Sadia?”
- “Have you found a replacement for yourself yet Sadia?”
This is where you need to remind yourself of your worth.
What value do you bring to the table? How do your skills and experience complement those around you? What have you achieved to date?
This isn’t just big client wins or promotions. It’s also intangible milestones like becoming confident enough to have difficult discussions with your colleagues or learning how to effectively negotiate better outcomes for yourself.
It’s the behaviours and attitudes underpinning your achievements that define who you are. These behaviours and attitudes ultimately ensure your future career success.
P.S. A little left field but my most entertaining highlight for 2022 was when I met Hillary Clinton at a conference. I had an awkward 60 second conversation with her followed by an equally awkward photo. I’m so pleased with the whole thing.
Embrace the season you’re in
Have you heard of Thasunda Brown Duckett’s ‘diversified portfolio of life’ concept? She talks about it in this podcast.
In short, your life is split into different areas of priority. Whether it be career, being a life partner, pursuing hobbies, spending time with family, being a good friend, looking after your health etc. You only have 100% to give. Each sliver of your life has an allocated % and at times some slivers need to grow while others shrink. Sometimes you add a brand new sliver – like being a parent.
Time and quality are not the same thing. Although the career sliver might adjust in the immediate term, by no means does it indicate that what you have to offer will be any less.
After a decade of professional services work, I’m looking forward to developing a different set of skills. I have every confidence that whatever I decide to do with my career on my return, this phase of my life will better equip me to excel at it rather than detract from it.
So, how have I judged this shortlist to be worth sharing?
Ultimately, the proof will be in the pudding but truthfully the pudding won’t be ready for a long while. What I mean by this is that my career is likely to continue in one form or another for the next 30 years. My measure of success in this context is how confidently I’m leaving this stage of my career. I’m feeling positive, and I want you to as well.
If you’ve already been through this process, please share your nuggets of wisdom.
This blog originally featured on LinkedIn.
