the same time as an offer from an exciting real estate developer. I
accepted the real estate development position, which rewarded me
with a partnership. Through these job phases, my key skills emerged.
After eight years and a financial market downturn, a new opportunity
to develop a program for teaching marketing skills to nonprofit neigh-
borhood development groups in Washington, DC, was presented to
me, and I accepted. After a year, I became fascinated with, and decided
to see if I could use my skills in, the corporate career transition area. I
had nothing to lose. I interviewed and accepted a job in the New York
City area, and a career evolved that lasted twenty years.
Most important, and most critical to this project, were the last fifteen
to twenty years of my career, in which I developed strong coaching
expertise with a focus on the executive level and C-Suite. I learned by
listening carefully, paying attention to people, and then probing to
understand the dimensions of what they were saying and not saying.
I began to appreciate the fact that individuals make the best decisions
for themselves if they have a process to follow that looks at and evalu-
ates their personal and career histories so they can more clearly think
about and prioritize their next steps. Often, a group format combined
with individual coaching provides a rich context for individuals to
broaden their thinking. The biggest reward in the coaching process is
when you act as a catalyst, allowing individuals to assimilate informa-
tion and make their own decisions, which sometimes surprise them as
well as you! This project has helped me focus and be more reflective on
my personal transition. The women in this study have been open and
honest, and it has been very exciting to work with them.
Anne: Like many of the women we met through our research, I, too,
loved school as a child. From a very early age, I was curious about the
world beyond my rural hometown. My passion for reading fed this
curiosity, and along with the encouragement of a few teachers, it
helped me imagine a future as a writer or a teacher. Eventually, I made
a career of both. When I entered college at a large state university, I
was exhilarated by the challenge of making my way in a brand-new
environment. An early marriage and divorce while still in my twenties
left me more committed than ever to having a career. As a single
mother, I took on multiple adjunct teaching positions, freelance writ-
ing, and tutoring, all the while knowing it was imperative that I finish
my doctorate. When I was offered a full-time position in the learning
skills center of a large, technological university, I accepted, and I set a
goal for myself to either complete my PhD or make the decision to
abandon it by the time I turned thirty-five. Teaching full-time, study-
ing and writing at night and on weekends, I went back, completed
my qualifying exams, and wrote my dissertation. With PhD in hand,
Introduction xix
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