You don’t need a new job. You need a new map.
Feeling stuck? You're not alone.
It's 10:43 p.m.
You didn't get through your list.
You're second-guessing an email you sent—and an email you didn't.
There's a decision you keep circling, because none of the options feel good.
Something feels … off.
You're working harder, but getting less traction.
Decisions feel slower. Feedback is vaguer. Everything's fuzzier.
And somewhere in the middle of that, the thought creeps in:
"Maybe it's time for something new."
Maybe. But Not Always.
ACT Leadership, a leadership coaching company, says it has been seeing the same thing across the board, from Fortune 100 executives to mid-level managers: Most leaders are disoriented.
They don't need a new job.
They need a new map. Most of us built our leadership map early on—shaped by mentors, early jobs, and the cultures we worked in. And without realizing it, we kept following it.
The Old Map: Clarity, Control, Certainty.
We all built a “leadership GPS” early in our careers. It rewarded:
- Having the answer
- Making quick decisions
- Solving problems (preferably alone)
That map got results.
That map got promotions.
But it was built for a different world—one that was:
- More stable
- More predictable
- Less complex
The New Terrain: Complexity, Uncertainty, Constant Change
Today’s world is complex.
That means it can't be controlled. To quote Peter Senge's second law of Systems Thinking, "The harder you push, the harder the system pushes back."
It can only be navigated.
Some examples I hear from coaching clients:
1. Decision Fog
“I used to be decisive. Now every choice feels like a risk—political, reputational, or just plain wrong for someone.”
2. Invisible Deadlines
“By the time I find out something needs my attention, it’s already late—and apparently I should’ve known.”
3. Context Whiplash
“Half my team’s remote, the other half wants structure. Every decision needs a disclaimer, and global politics somehow show up in our product roadmap.”
Why Coaching, Not Advice, Works in Complexity
Here's the catch: Complexity makes advice less useful.
Why? Because advice assumes a linear problem with a known solution.
But in complex systems:
- The problem keeps moving.
- The solution has side effects.
- What worked yesterday doesn't work today.
Coaching helps leaders stay present in uncertainty.
Nancy Kline writes in "Time to Think," "The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do first. And the quality of that thinking depends on how we are treated while we are thinking."
Curious. Grounded. Focused on both relationship and results.
Listening for what's being said and how it's being said.
As Jennifer Garvey Berger writes in "Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps," "In complexity, we must listen to understand—not simply to confirm what we already believe."
To see the system, not just the symptom.
To stay connected—to themselves, their team, the work.
To avoid controlling.
Just real, responsive, and in service of something bigger than their own certainty.
Coaching Isn’t Just a Skillset. It’s a Shift in Orientation.
In partnership with Brown University’s School of Professional Studies, ACT Leadership trains leaders to:
- Ask better questions
- Notice their internal patterns
- Make space for others to contribute
- Lead through complexity, not around it
Bottom line: Leadership is about orienting wisely, together.
So—What’s a Map, Really?
Your internal map is the set of beliefs, assumptions, and habits that you’ve learned to tell yourself:
- What "good leadership" looks like
- What success means
- How you should respond under pressure
That map was shaped over time. And for most of us, it needs a reboot. To redraw it for this terrain.
When Leaders Start Getting Lost, Here’s What We See:
- They keep doubling down on what used to work: "Let me just push this through … one more time."
- They mistake clarity for control: "If I just spell it out more clearly, they'll follow."
- They give advice instead of creating space: "Here's what I'd do…" = conversation over.
- They start questioning their value: "Why am I the only one still working late?"
Tips for Redrawing Your Map
1. Stop Solving. Start Sensing.
Notice the system, not just the symptom.
In complexity, quick fixes often miss the bigger pattern.
Ask yourself:
- What's actually shifting around me?
- What conversations keep stalling or circling?
- What resistance might be telling me something important?
Instead of trying to fix the problem—try reading the room.
2. Ask “What do you think?”
Seriously. Just ask it. Then give space, listen with curiosity.
It's the simplest coaching move we teach—and one of the most powerful. And the least used.
It invites ownership and reduces dependency on you.
Other ways to ask it:
- "What's your take on this?"
- "What do you think is missing here?"
- "If this were your call—what would you do?"
And then—pause. Let the space do the work.
3. Get Curious About Your Defaults
In uncertainty, we often fall back on old habits—without realizing it.
In a tough moment, do you tend to:
- Step in and take over?
- Step back and disengage?
- Speed up and control the process?
- Avoid conflict or discomfort?
Your default isn’t bad. It’s just ... unexamined.
Final Thought
If you feel like you're working harder and getting less back—you're not broken.
You're just in new territory.
In complexity, leadership isn't about control.
It's about orientation.
And the best leaders?
They don't just navigate change.
They redraw the map—so others can find their way, too.
This story was produced by ACT Leadership and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Sign Up
