By Christine Kidder Graves, Executive Career Coach

Every leader reaches a point where their strategy stops working, not because they’ve lost their edge, but because the game has changed. If you want your next opportunity to find you instead of chasing it, these five insights will show you how to position yourself when the market demands it.

1. The Clarity Gap: Why Most Leaders Stall in Transition

“The biggest mistake leaders make in transition? They jump into the next role without clarity.”

Executives who jump at the first “good” offer often end up in the wrong room, surrounded by misaligned values, familiar frustrations, and a gnawing sense of déjà vu. The market has changed. You’ve changed.

The leaders who rise fastest are the ones who pause long enough to define what’s next, not react to what’s offered. Your next role isn’t about fixing what was broken. It’s about designing what’s next, on purpose.

Pro Insight: Create a “clarity matrix”; three columns labeled Values, Vision, and Velocity. If the opportunity doesn’t align across all three, it’s not a fit.

2. Lead Before the Light Shows Up

“Faith came first. Proof came after.”

The miracle on October 13, 1917

Tens of thousands gathered

in a muddy field in Fatima, Portugal.

They were told the Virgin Mary

would perform a miracle

and despite ridicule, rain, and doubt,

they showed up anyway.

Then the sun moved.

Witnesses said it spun, shimmered, and descended

a spectacle that dried soaked ground

and stunned even the skeptics.

It became known as

The Miracle of the Sun.

Faith came first.

Proof came after.

In leadership (and life),

it’s tempting to wait for certainty before committing;

the data, the consensus, the “perfect plan.”

But the leaders who create transformation

not just manage it

are the ones who move before the miracle.

They trust the unseen work.

They show up in the mud.

And they keep showing up

long before the light shifts in their favor.

That’s what October 13 reminds me of:

We don’t lead because it’s easy or certain.

We lead because it’s right.

And eventually, the light catches up.

Pro Insight: Audit your current goals. Which ones are you waiting to “feel ready” for? Start before you see proof; that’s where transformation begins.

3. The Blue Line: How to Stay on Course in Your Career

“Every step you take off that line adds distance, time, and energy you’ll never get back.”

In the Chicago Marathon, there’s a blue line painted on the course; the shortest, most efficient route to the finish. Runners who stray from it waste energy and time.

Executives do the same. They veer off course, tweaking resumes, chasing job boards, or reacting to recruiter noise instead of building visibility in their lane.

My work is about helping leaders find their blue line again; the strategic path that aligns brand, leadership story, and long-term impact.

If your career feels like it’s zigzagging, it’s not failure. It’s feedback.

Pro Insight: Map your “blue line” by asking:

• Where do I add the most value?

• Who needs that value right now?

How am I showing up to be found by them?

4. The Power of “Get To” Over “Have To”

“When life throws you a challenge, your perspective determines your power.”

Every leader faces defining moments; the ones that separate burnout from breakthrough.

The most successful leaders don’t see problems as punishment.

They see them as preparation.

They say “I get to navigate this” instead of “I have to deal with this.”

That one reframe changes everything:

• It unlocks gratitude.

• It reduces resistance.

• It turns pressure into purpose.

Leaders in transition, especially those rebuilding confidence after layoffs or realigning career direction, gain momentum the moment they shift from I have to find my next role to I get to redefine what I want next.

Poll Question: When you face a tough challenge, what mindset do you lead with first?

✅ I have to do this ✅ I get to do this ✅ Still working on it

Pro Insight: Gratitude and growth can’t coexist with resentment. Reframe first, results follow.

5. Your Next Role Should Find You; Not By Chance, But By Design

In today’s volatile market, where AI is redefining how companies hire and scale, the most strategic executives are no longer applying for roles. They’re positioning themselves to be found.

It’s not a luxury.

It’s a leadership imperative.

The most successful leaders know they get to do the work to stay visible, relevant, and in demand. They don’t wait for crisis or layoffs to start marketing themselves.

This Friday at 11 AM CST, I’m hosting a 20-minute Executive Briefing on how to have your next role find you.

We’ll cover: • The critical step to take before updating your resume or LinkedIn • How to market yourself as a leader, not a job seeker • How to build executive visibility while still employed • Turning LinkedIn into a brand and referral engine • A bonus move to show up with authority and presence immediately

Leaders who wait to be visible are already behind. This conversation will show you how to stay relevant, referable, and ready, before opportunity knocks.

Closing Thought: The Pattern Across All Five Insights

Leaders who lead before the light, who stay on their blue line, who reframe challenges as privileges, and who define clarity before chasing roles; these are the ones who stop job searching and start being found.

You don’t need a miracle. You need alignment, visibility, and conviction.

Be Invaluable. Lead with impact. Own your brand. Drive your career.

🎥 Join me Friday at 11 AM CST for “Have Your Next Role Find You.” It’s not about luck. It’s about leadership by design.

REGISTER HERE:

https://www.linkedin.com/events/haveyournextrolefindyou7383562204807290881/theater/