Usefulness vs. Impact in Career Advancement: Leadership Insights for Women in STEM - 014

This solo reflection addresses career stagnation among high-performing women in STEM, where hard work and reliability no longer lead to advancement. Adaeze breaks down the critical difference between being “useful” and being “impactful,” and why optimizing for usefulness traps professionals in career plateaus.Episode Summary and Timestamps[00:00-02:00] – Introduction & The Story of SarahHost Adaeze introduces the episode as a practical reflection for leadership and career growth.Sarah’s story: A high-performing professional passed over for promotion three times, despite dedication. Her manager once dismissed her request for promotion without a raise, reflecting a common experience for women in STEM.[02:00-03:13] – The Pattern of Career StagnationHigh-performing women often reach a point where effort no longer yields career returns—not due to underperformance, but because “the rules have changed” without clear communication.Core thesis: Being useful is not the same as being impactful. Optimizing for usefulness will not advance your career.[03:13-05:28] – Root Cause: Misalignment & The Trap of UsefulnessStagnation is a misalignment problem: The system rewards impact, but many are trained to optimize for usefulness (e.g., work hard, be reliable, solve problems).Early career success with this formula leads to becoming “the fixer”—a role that serves the organization but not your advancement.At a certain level, competence is assumed. Usefulness stops being a differentiator and becomes a trap, leaving professionals “over-leveraged and under-positioned.”[05:28-06:06] – What Impact Actually Looks LikeImpact is not what you do, but what changes because of what you do. It includes:Connecting work to organizational priorities and outcomes.Making decisions that move initiatives forward.Reducing ambiguity so others can execute confidently.[06:06-07:43] – The Wrong Hill ProblemMany professionals “climb the wrong hill” by doubling down on strategies that no longer work.The key question: “What am I optimizing for?”—usefulness or impact?[07:43-09:24] – Call to Action & ClosingQuestioning your approach already puts you ahead. Taking intentional action helps design the career you want.Adaeze invites listeners to work with her (application in show notes) and emphasizes: “You’re ready for your work to create more impact—that is leadership.”Key TakeawaysUsefulness ≠ Impact. Being reliable and productive (useful) differs from creating change and shaping priorities (impact).The old career formula stops working. Hard work and excellence matter early on, but impact becomes the differentiator later.Stagnation is a misalignment problem, not a capability issue. The system rewards impact; many optimize for usefulness.Avoid the “fixer” trap. Serving as the go-to problem-solver often benefits the organization, not your career progression.Impact creates change. Focus on outcomes, decisions that advance initiatives, and reducing ambiguity for others.Ask: “What am I optimizing for?” Shift from “How can I do more?” to aligning with impact-driven goals.Awareness is leverage. Recognizing the misalignment lets you course-correct intentionally.Don’t climb the wrong hill. If current strategies aren’t working, change the formula instead of doubling down.Design your career intentionally. Advancement requires strategic positioning, not just hard work.Leadership is about impact. Transition from executing tasks to creating influence through strategic decisions.Connect with African Women in STEM on Social Media:⁠⁠Follow Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the African Women in STEM Membership⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit the African Women in STEM Website⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TEDX Talk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Decision-Level Advisory Application | Fill this Form >>