Women Leadership Career Success Story: Optimizing for Impact Over Usefulness - 012

Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya's Women Leadership Career Success Story podcast episode on Optimizing for Impact Over Usefulness explores a critical career insight that many high-performing women in STEM face: the difference between being useful and being impactful. Through a compelling story and practical wisdom, Adaeze reveals why career stagnation often isn't about capability—it's about misalignment between what the system rewards and what we've been trained to optimize for.This episode is essential listening for mid-career and senior women in STEM who are experiencing career plateaus despite exceptional performance. Adaeze offers a clear framework for understanding why the "work hard and be reliable" formula that once worked may now be holding you back, and what to focus on instead to advance your career.In this episode, you'll learn:[00:56] The story of Sarah, a high-performing professional who keeps getting blindsided by opportunities going to others.[01:53] Why high-performing women in STEM often find their efforts stop producing expected returns.[02:33] The critical insight: being useful is not the same as being impactful, and optimizing for usefulness will not advance your career.[02:59] Why career stagnation is not a capability problem, it's a misalignment problem.[03:11] The formula many of us were taught: work hard, be reliable, be the one they can count on, and you'll be recognized in due time.[04:15] The turning point: when usefulness stops being a differentiator in your career.[04:37] How usefulness can become a trap, making women "over leveraged and under positioned."[04:50] What impact actually looks like: connecting work to organizational priorities, making decisions that move initiatives forward, reducing ambiguity, and shaping how critical priorities are approached.[05:35] The concept of "climbing the wrong hill" in your career.[06:09] The critical question to ask yourself: What am I optimizing for, usefulness or impact?[06:28] Why awareness is leverage, not a setback.[07:15] The call to reevaluate how you're operating your career and make necessary changes.Thank you for listening to our episode today!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 >>