Photo credit: iStockphoto.com (dr911)
Talking to Dr. Sohee Jun is like talking to your best girlfriend and mentor rolled up into one. She is friendly, supportive, and full of helpful advice based on more than 20 years of research and experience.
A leadership coach and author, her latest book is The Aligned Mindset: Secrets of High-Achieving Women for Work and Life.
Read about the five mindset shifts she teaches women to help them align work, life, and leadership.
1. Discover your authenticity through lived experience.
Jun’s understanding of authenticity came from working in places that didn’t align with her values. “It’s through those experiences that I really understood what it meant for me to be authentic, and what it meant for me to advocate for things that were important to me.” When self-criticism creeps in, she reframes it: “I wouldn’t have known without the experience. How could I have known?”
2. Redefine success on your terms.
A common starting point Jun recommends is the question, “Can it be done another way?” followed by, “What does success look like for me?” Jun helps them explore whether they can reach their goals in ways that feel more aligned to who they are.
3. Know what your center looks like.
Today’s rate of change makes it hard for leaders to feel grounded. That’s why Jun encourages people to identify what center looks like for them and engineer a faster route back. That might mean rethinking technology use, delegating, or simple practices like making time for a walk before settling into work.
4. Curate your tribe of advocates.
One of Jun’s favorite practices is intentionally shaping who’s in your space. “Look for people that think differently, that can give you different perspectives,” she says. “That can help you level-set and maybe normalize some things that may be feeling so big.” Aim for a mix of cheerleaders, wise career advisors, and people whose unique experiences expand your perspective.
5. Act when you’re ready to change.
Jun emphasizes that insight alone isn’t enough. “The work isn’t in you,” she says, “isn’t in us talking about it. The work is what happens after you leave the session.” She looks for signs that people are prepared to move from awareness to action. That, she adds, is what turns ideas into results.
