At the start: manager
at a publishing house
Claudio felt that his best working years were behind him and that from now on it could only get worse. I understood that. At the publishing house where he started as an editor, he had reached the top of his profession as editor-in-chief. And it had also become a bit of his life; in addition to a nice family and a rich social life.
The work had always made him very happy in terms of content, and the department had developed fantastically under his leadership. And now with Covid, it was all becoming increasingly unpleasant. The pressure on results was high and the new owner started to 'squeeze'; he couldn't stand it.
And it scared him. Maybe afraid of losing this good life, but I think mainly because he doubted what he would be without this job. Because he felt it was slipping away from him.
During our trajectory
Due to Covid, the world in general was turned upside down, and Claudio's world in particular. Because in the reorganization that had been announced, the organization was pushed together. So what he was afraid of happened. And it certainly wasn't a good time to have to look for something new.
So there was nothing else to do but start our career strategy process with the basics. First rediscover himself by searching for what he was really good at and what made him happy. That turned out to be mainly in telling stories that really touch people... And from there, build a new existence, whatever it would be. Because neither of us really knew that at the time.
However, at that moment he was 'coincidentally' approached to make a podcast about a subject that had always interested him: intergenerational trauma.
A theme that touched him, and despite the heaviness of the subject, gave him positive energy. The light at the end of the tunnel perhaps, but so small and uncertain and so far away at that moment.
It did fit, also because in the meantime we had clearly determined from all the analyses and conversations where his 'sweet spot' was. Namely, around that storytelling. It was in his blood, was recognized by the market and gave him energy every time. So our line was clear: find a new stage that fits... simple but not easy.
But before he could really be open to that, there was something else to do: distance himself from the publishing house and his sadness about it. The summer months were a fantastic setting for that. He enjoyed it and after that everything actually went better. On to a new phase in his writing.
And then:
author, journalist, columnist and interviewer
Other questions and assignments came from the market, the podcast became a book and he found all kinds of other platforms to talk about this subject. And of course that path was not easy and it took about a year before he wrote to me: 'I have now really found my place in writing!'.
I thought that was a liberating message. But perhaps the best moment of our career journey was when I was allowed to witness the presentation of his book. I hadn't seen Claudio for a few months and he was shining like I had never seen him before. I was proud and even a little surprised: I had rarely experienced it so strongly...!
Please note: This is a fictional case, based on a mix of experiences from my work with clients.
