How do I take more control of my career?
Taking more control of your career means making deliberate choices about your professional direction, actively working on your visibility and influence, and not waiting for opportunities to come to you. Being in the driver’s seat means you decide where you’re headed — rather than letting circumstances or other people decide for you. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about career ownership, from identifying your ambitions to navigating an unsupportive environment.
What does taking control of your career actually mean?
Taking control of your career means playing the lead role in your own professional life. Rather than passively waiting for a promotion or for others to recognize your contributions, you actively take responsibility for the direction you want to go, the steps required to get there, and the choices that come with it. Personal leadership is at the heart of career ownership.
In practice, this means knowing what you want to achieve, understanding how the organization or sector you work in operates, and deliberately leveraging your network, visibility, and influence. It’s not about forcing outcomes, but about creating the conditions in which you can grow and contribute in a way that’s true to who you are.
Taking control also means understanding the unwritten rules. Every organization has dynamics that never appear in a job description. Who actually holds influence? How are decisions made? Which alliances matter? Those who can read these rules — and navigate them skillfully — have a significant advantage when it comes to achieving their career goals.
Why do women more often lose control of their careers?
Women more often lose control of their careers because they tend to wait for recognition rather than actively claiming it, are less likely to advocate for their own interests, and are less familiar with the unwritten rules of organizational life than their male colleagues. This is not a matter of talent or ambition — it’s a matter of socialization and structural patterns.
Research and real-world experience consistently show that women, on average, make their achievements less visible, are less likely to ask for a promotion or a raise, and use their networks less strategically. At the same time, women who do assert themselves sometimes face a double standard: behavior that is seen as decisive in men can be judged very differently in women.
The combination of work and caregiving responsibilities also continues to play a role. Women more often take part-time positions or step back when they take on caregiving duties, which can cause them to fall off the radar when it comes to promotions or strategic projects. Awareness of these patterns is the first step toward breaking them and reclaiming personal leadership.
How do you map out your own career ambitions?
You map out your career ambitions by asking yourself three core questions: What do I want to achieve? What are my strengths? What gives me energy? By combining these three dimensions, a clear picture emerges of the direction that suits you. This is the foundation for intentional personal leadership in your career.
Start by looking back. Which moments at work gave you energy? When did you feel at your best? Which tasks or projects flew by? That reflection provides valuable insight into where your talents lie and what drives you. Write it down — patterns that stay hidden in your head become visible on paper.
Then look ahead. Where do you want to be in three or five years? What kind of work do you want to do, in what kind of environment, with what kind of impact? Be as specific as possible. Vague ambitions lead to vague actions. Once you know what you want, you can identify which steps you can take today and which skills or connections you’ll need to get there.
Finally, it’s worth testing your ambitions against your values. A career that doesn’t align with what truly matters to you will ultimately feel unfulfilling — even if you’re successful at it. Your values are your compass when making choices.
What concrete steps can help you take more control?
Taking more control of your career starts with combining self-awareness, strategic insight, and visibility. Here are a number of concrete steps you can take right now to set that process in motion.
- Define a personal career goal. Know where you want to go and make it concrete and measurable. A clear goal gives direction to your choices.
- Increase your visibility. Make sure the people who matter know what you contribute. Share your successes, speak up in meetings, and be present where decisions are made.
- Actively build your network. Not just within your own team, but beyond your immediate circle as well. A strong network gives you access to information, opportunities, and support.
- Learn to negotiate for your own position. Actively seek out projects, roles, or responsibilities that align with your ambitions. Don’t wait for someone else to arrange that for you.
- Understand the political dynamics in your organization. Who holds influence? What interests are at play? How are decisions made? This insight is essential for personal leadership.
- Invest in your own development. Keep learning — both in your area of expertise and in the areas of leadership and strategy.
These steps may sound straightforward, but in day-to-day practice they require discipline and, at times, courage. It’s precisely the combination of self-awareness and strategic action that makes the difference.
How do you deal with resistance or an unsupportive environment?
Resistance or an unsupportive environment is one of the most commonly cited obstacles for women who want to take greater control of their careers. The key is not to wait for the environment to change, but to learn to navigate within the existing context while simultaneously working toward change.
Start by analyzing the source of the resistance. Does it come from a specific person, from the organizational culture, or from the structure of your role? Each cause calls for a different approach. A manager who doesn’t see your work requires a different strategy than an organizational culture that discourages women in leadership positions.
Actively seek out allies. In virtually every organization, there are people — both men and women — who support your ambition or have a stake in your success. These people are your alliances. Invest in those relationships.
Make use of your own style of influence as well. You rarely overcome resistance through confrontation, but you can through the smart use of your persuasive power, by building trust, and by demonstrating results. Personal leadership also means knowing when to push forward and when to choose a different path.
If the environment is structurally limiting and there is no room for growth, leaving is also a legitimate choice. Taking control sometimes means acknowledging that your current position is not the right place for your ambitions.
When is professional guidance useful for career ownership?
Professional guidance is valuable when you feel stuck in your career, aren’t sure which direction you want to go, or when you notice that your ambitions are there but the step toward action keeps getting delayed. An external coach offers a mirror and provides concrete tools that are difficult to develop on your own.
Guidance is also worthwhile when you’re dealing with complex organizational dynamics, when you want to make a significant move such as stepping into a leadership role, or when you notice you keep repeating the same patterns without achieving the results you’re after. In those situations, a fresh outside perspective helps bring blind spots to light.
Group-based programs offer an additional advantage: you learn not only from the coaches, but also from the experiences of fellow participants. That sense of recognition and mutual exchange accelerates the learning process and gives you new perspectives on challenges you know all too well.
How InTouch helps you take greater control of your career
At InTouch Women, we have been helping ambitious women take greater control of their careers for nearly 30 years — in a practical, no-nonsense way. Our most intensive program is the Masterclass Stratego for Women, a six-month program in which you work on your personal leadership, your strategic insight, and your ability to recognize and leverage the unwritten rules within organizations.
What participants take away from this program:
- Insight into political dynamics and unwritten rules within organizations
- Concrete strategies to increase your visibility and influence
- Tools to clearly define and achieve your career ambitions
- Skills to effectively negotiate your position, salary, and development
- A strong network of like-minded, ambitious women
- A safe learning environment in which to practice, grow, and reflect
The program is offered in small groups of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 12 participants, ensuring space for personal attention and genuine depth. Want to find out whether the Masterclass is right for you? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to tell you more.