Tech from the Trenches Chapter 7

Marisa Otero is a Business Agility Coach certified by PCC by ICF – Executive Coach, with extensive experience in Values Coaching and helping improve and advance agility in various business domains.

At times, we all feel the need to take the reins of our professional career. In this regard, we ask ourselves: What actions can we take to improve both professionally and personally?

Enrique and Bruno posed some questions to her:

Is there a point where one might consider themselves too old to take control of their professional career?

For Marisa, the answer is clear: absolutely not! This belief may be more of a mental and personal perception than an objective reality. In the technical world, the term “ageism” is frequently mentioned, suggesting that certain ages are associated with specific roles in the industry. However, Marisa believes that this perspective is changing. In fact, she considers that success is no longer limited to climbing the hierarchy, but rather emphasizes the value of “horizontal” improvements that provide greater recognition for one’s work.

What do I truly want in my professional career?

Answering this question requires a crucial introspective exercise, as numerous factors come into play. To arrive at a meaningful answer, there is no other path than self-awareness. Understanding our values and purpose is essential.

There are methodologies that allow us to explore and discover our values. In fact, one of the biggest challenges at work arises when there is a misalignment between what we do in our job and what our values dictate we should be doing.

Marisa argues that companies should also have clarity about the values they want to promote among their members.

Knowing your values helps you find your purpose.

Where should we start?

The first and most important step is to have clarity about our desire to embark on this journey. We can seek the support of a professional to initiate this process and realize that we genuinely want to take control of our career.

It is crucial to understand that our decisions are based on our beliefs, and everything is interconnected within a system: our family, our company, among others. All these systems generate resistance. Being aware of how we make decisions from the family system, the work system, or others helps us establish priorities.

Is it possible to rush too quickly?

According to Marisa, age is not relevant as long as we are aware of what it entails. Furthermore, the perception of whether we are progressing too quickly or not may vary depending on the country. In the United States, for example, it is quite common to want to accelerate our professional career.

Coaching serves not only to enhance our professional career but also to identify areas for improvement related to it.

What tools do we have at our disposal to make the leap?

Knowing how to say “NO” and being fully aware of all the decisions we make throughout the day are fundamental tools. In addition to the aforementioned self-awareness, it is important to make decisions based on our purpose and values.

Marisa argues that we often suffer unnecessarily due to things or situations that we believe will happen but never actually do. Reducing the dramatic weight of the consequences of our decisions can be a very valuable tool.

We, as individuals, are highly resilient, although we often underestimate our ability to overcome adverse situations.

Could you share with us how you have approached this step in your professional career?

Marisa shares her personal experience and tells us how she sought support from a coach after facing challenging moments in her work journey. The coach guided her in this phase of purpose-seeking.

This process was challenging and required time and deliberate practice of principles and values in her everyday professional life. Aligning one’s desires, family expectations, and workplace demands is not an easy task.

Systems are designed to generate resistance, and when we make decisions that create “noise,” doubts can arise. 

We don’t always feel confident in ourselves 24/7, which implies that we must constantly refine and improve our decision-making processes.

For Marisa, it’s clear that embarking on this path can be challenging and there may be moments of vulnerability, but in the end, the rewards make it worthwhile.