How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 16, 2026 · 1H 3M

How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast

from Harvard Business Review · host HBR

How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast 2 Nov 2022 --- He’s had a long, successful career as an attorney, in spite of the challenges he’s faced as a neurodivergent leader. Now he wants to parlay his legal experience and interest in advocacy into a different career in diversity, equity, and inclusion, but he’s having a hard time landing the role he wants. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches this leader through how to move forward with his career plans even when it feels like the odds are stacked against him. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 10:24 – Figuring Out Your Narrative 16:36 – Focus on What You Can Control 23:41 – Focus on What You Have, Not What You Lack 35:28 – Positioning Your Skills as Transferable 38:05 – Is the Role/Organization a Good Fit for You? 45:26 – Outro Further reading: • 4 Steps to Making a Successful Career Change: https://hbr.org/2022/06/4-steps-to-making-a-successful-career-change • Neurodiversity: The Benefits of Recruiting Employees with Cognitive Disabilities: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/neurodiversity-the-benefits-of-recruiting-employees-with-cognitive-disabilities • The Right Way to Make a Big Career Transition: https://hbr.org/2021/07/the-right-way-to-make-a-big-career-transition • Job Seeking When You’re Over 50: https://hbr.org/2010/11/job-seeking-when-youre-over-50 • Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage: https://hbr.org/2017/05/neurodiversity-as-a-competitive-advantage Listen to all Coaching Real Leaders episodes here: [YouTube playlist link] You can also listen to this episode on HBR.org, and wherever you listen to podcasts: - HBR.org (transcript available here): https://hbr.org/podcast/2022/10/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are-stacked-against-me - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are/id1545444200?i=1000584503408 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iwTl9gerpPPGcnOV48lWA?si=a0a432c3b6c54f6c - Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/coaching-real-leaders/episode/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are-stacked-against-me-208093430 - Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmhhcnZhcmRidXNpbmVzcy5vcmcvaGFydmFyZGJ1c2luZXNzL2NvYWNoaW5nLXJlYWwtbGVhZGVycw/episode/dGFnOmF1ZGlvLmhici5vcmcsMjAyMC0xMi0xNzpjb2FjaGluZy1yZWFsLWxlYWRlcnMuczQuMDAwMw?sa=X&ved=0CAQQ8qgGahcKEwiItouJyY37AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ Series Description: We all want to get to the next level of our career, but so many of us get stuck. Longtime leadership coach Muriel Wilkins takes you inside real-life leadership coaching sessions with high performers working to overcome professional challenges and grow as leaders. Listen in on real conversations and leave with new insights and practical guidance for your own career. The views expressed on this podcast are those of its hosts, guests, and callers, and not those of Harvard Business Review. About Harvard Business Review: Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, books, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org, Harvard Business Review aims to provide professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to help lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact. Learn more at www.hbr.org. Follow Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harv... https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard_bus... Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters #HarvardBusinessReview #leadershipcoaching #leadership Copyright © 2022 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast 2 Nov 2022 --- He’s had a long, successful career as an attorney, in spite of the challenges he’s faced as a neurodivergent leader. Now he wants to parlay his legal experience and interest in advocacy into a different career in diversity, equity, and inclusion, but he’s having a hard time landing the role he wants. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches this leader through how to move forward with his career plans even when it feels like the odds are stacked against him. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 10:24 – Figuring Out Your Narrative 16:36 – Focus on What You Can Control 23:41 – Focus on What You Have, Not What You Lack 35:28 – Positioning Your Skills as Transferable 38:05 – Is the Role/Organization a Good Fit for You? 45:26 – Outro Further reading: • 4 Steps to Making a Successful Career Change: https://hbr.org/2022/06/4-steps-to-making-a-successful-career-change • Neurodiversity: The Benefits of Recruiting Employees with Cognitive Disabilities: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/neurodiversity-the-benefits-of-recruiting-employees-with-cognitive-disabilities • The Right Way to Make a Big Career Transition: https://hbr.org/2021/07/the-right-way-to-make-a-big-career-transition • Job Seeking When You’re Over 50: https://hbr.org/2010/11/job-seeking-when-youre-over-50 • Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage: https://hbr.org/2017/05/neurodiversity-as-a-competitive-advantage Listen to all Coaching Real Leaders episodes here: [YouTube playlist link] You can also listen to this episode on HBR.org, and wherever you listen to podcasts: - HBR.org (transcript available here): https://hbr.org/podcast/2022/10/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are-stacked-against-me - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are/id1545444200?i=1000584503408 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iwTl9gerpPPGcnOV48lWA?si=a0a432c3b6c54f6c - Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/coaching-real-leaders/episode/how-do-i-make-a-career-change-when-the-odds-are-stacked-against-me-208093430 - Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLmhhcnZhcmRidXNpbmVzcy5vcmcvaGFydmFyZGJ1c2luZXNzL2NvYWNoaW5nLXJlYWwtbGVhZGVycw/episode/dGFnOmF1ZGlvLmhici5vcmcsMjAyMC0xMi0xNzpjb2FjaGluZy1yZWFsLWxlYWRlcnMuczQuMDAwMw?sa=X&ved=0CAQQ8qgGahcKEwiItouJyY37AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ Series Description: We all want to get to the next level of our career, but so many of us get stuck. Longtime leadership coach Muriel Wilkins takes you inside real-life leadership coaching sessions with high performers working to overcome professional challenges and grow as leaders. Listen in on real conversations and leave with new insights and practical guidance for your own career. The views expressed on this podcast are those of its hosts, guests, and callers, and not those of Harvard Business Review. About Harvard Business Review: Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, books, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org, Harvard Business Review aims to provide professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to help lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact. Learn more at www.hbr.org. Follow Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harv... https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard_bus... Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters #HarvardBusinessReview #leadershipcoaching #leadership Copyright © 2022 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast

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This episode was published on June 16, 2026.

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How Do I Make a Career Change when Odds Are Stacked Against Me? | Coaching Real Leaders | Podcast 2 Nov 2022 --- He’s had a long, successful career as an attorney, in spite of the challenges he’s faced as a neurodivergent leader. Now he wants to...

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