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Abstract: It is inevitable that at some point in our careers, most professionals will experience feelings of being stuck, whether due to a lack of growth opportunities, unsupportive management, unclear responsibilities, or unfulfilling work that fails to engage talents and interests long-term. However, sticking with the status quo will only prolong negative feelings, so it is important to understand common reasons for getting stuck, like a lack of ongoing development limiting skills growth, ambiguity around career paths and advancement requirements, repetitive or unchallenging tasks lacking meaning, unsupportive managers who do not provide feedback, coaching or sponsorship, and rigid organizational structures and policies that hinder agility and autonomy. Research has shown taking ownership through proactive strategies can overcome even deeply entrenched sticking points. To address a lack of growth, prioritizing continuous self-directed learning through establishing annual skill-building goals and volunteering for special assignments expands competencies and pathways. Clarity on career direction comes from creating a professional development plan outlining short and long-term SMART goals, required skills, and action items to attain the next level. For unchallenging work, employees should advocate for job enrichment through leveraging strengths in more stimulating, complex and impactful tasks. An unsupportive manager can be offset by developing alternative mentor and sponsor relationships within the organization and externally. When faced with bureaucracy, cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset focused on self-generated projects, autonomy, initiative, and collaboration keeps professionals solution-oriented. Overall, continuous learning, deliberate career management, leveraging strengths, building support systems, and resourceful entrepreneurialism empower stuck individuals to identify fulfillment and advancement opportunities regardless of external constraints. Maintaining a growth mindset focused on solutions rather than complaints ensures no career need remain permanently stalled.
It is inevitable that at some point in our careers, most of us will experience feelings of being stuck. Whether from a lack of growth opportunities, unsupportive management, unclear responsibilities, or simply feeling unfulfilled in our current role, feeling stuck at work can be extremely frustrating and demotivating. However, sticking with the status quo will only prolong these negative feelings.
Today we will explore what sticking points commonly arise for professionals and leaders based on research findings. By understanding why we feel stuck and empowering ourselves with proactive steps, readers will gain confidence to identify new paths toward greater professional purpose, fulfillment, and success.
Causes of Feeling Stuck at Work
Before exploring solutions, it is important to understand some of the primary reasons why professionals may experience feelings of being stuck in their careers. Research has identified several common sticking points.
Lack of Development: Many feel stuck due to a lack of ongoing learning, training, or new responsibilities that allow them to grow their skills and take on more challenges (King, 2004). Without an outlet for continuous professional development, boredom and complacency can set in.
Unclear Career Path: Ambiguity around advancement opportunities, career trajectories, and qualifications needed for promotion contributes to feelings of being stuck (Allen et al., 2008). Not having a clear line of sight into future roles causes uncertainty.
Unchallenging Work: Repetitive or unfulfilling tasks that fail to engage employees' talents and interests over the long run can leave them feeling immobilized in their roles (Rehfuss et al., 2021). Disengagement sets in without meaningful work.
Poor Management: Managers who fail to provide frequent feedback, challenging projects, coaching and sponsorship can stall employees' careers (McDonald & Hite, 2005). Toxic managers or those who are unavailable are problematic.
Organizational Bureaucracy: Rigid corporate structures with limited autonomy, slow decision making, and policies that hinder agility and innovation interfere with employee progress (Jones, 2002). Red tape keeps people stuck.
Taking ownership of one's career development through actionable steps can help overcome even deeply entrenched organizational sticking points. The following sections outline strategies professionals can employ to break free from feelings of being stuck.
Moving Past Lack of Growth: Prioritizing Continuous Learning
When feeling stalled due to lack of ongoing development, the first step is to take learning and growth into one's own hands through self-directed learning. Doerr (2018), the author of Measure What Matters, recommends establishing an annual "Skillbox" to identify and systematically work on attaining new competencies outside of formal training programs.
For example, in the technology industry, software engineers looking to expand their skills may focus one year on learning new programming languages through online courses or self-paced tutorials. The next year, their Skillbox could target areas like project management certifications or technical marketing education. Setting clear learning objectives outside of work and carving out time each week for self-study keeps skills up to date.
In addition to independent learning, volunteering for special project teams, temporary assignments, or task forces develops a range of experience. For instance, IT professionals may offer to set up the technology for a company-wide conference or large-scale implementation. Taking on stretch assignments outside usual responsibilities widens networks and resumes while gaining exposure.
Continuously expanding competencies and expertise through self-directed learning and supplementary opportunities nurtures growth even in the absence of formal training programs from employers, countering feelings of stagnation. The effort invested pays off with increased confidence, updated skills, and new pathways for career advancement or job mobility.
Clarifying Career Direction: Creating a Professional Development Plan
Ambiguity around career direction and pathways for promotion contributes significantly to feelings of stalling out professionally. Creating a documented professional development plan instills clarity and focus to propel forward movement. These plans outline short and long-term goals, needed skills to attain them, and action items for skill building.
For example, accounting professionals hoping to transition into management may target goals like obtaining a certification in Financial Management by next year or enrolling in an MBA program in 5 years to qualify for Director-level positions. The associated plan defines specific courses to take, conferences to attend, skills to build like people leadership and business acumen over time.
Checking in on progress quarterly keeps professionals on track. Research backs goals as most effective when specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART), which development plans enforce (Doran, 1981). Sharing plans with managers fosters accountability through goal check-ins and opportunities for sponsorship. Engaging in deliberate career planning overcomes ambiguity around advancement requirements and next steps for fulfillment and success.
Addressing Unchallenging Work: Advocating for Job Enrichment
For employees feeling stuck in repetitive, under-stimulating work lacking meaning or complexity, the solution lies in advocating for job enrichment that leverages strengths and fuels engagement. Job characteristics theory suggests five core dimensions that engage employees including skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback (Hackman & Oldham, 1976).
For example, pharmacy technicians constantly counting, sorting and mailing prescriptions would benefit from opportunities involving direct patient contact through consultation roles requiring expertise in medication education. Front desk representatives saddled with mundane order processing could take lead on special projects allowing for initiative, collaboration and impact.
Rather than dwelling on current dissatisfactions, focus discussion with managers on untapped strengths and how roles could leverage education, capabilities and interests at a higher level through enrichment. Propose specific, value-added modifications that challenges skills and fosters purpose, such as automating simple repetitive tasks to gain time for more stimulating patient-centered care coordination (Ames et al., 2020). Sell ideas compellingly while acknowledging constraints - expressing enthusiasm for work redesign counters feelings of limitations and motivates management support.
Overcoming a Poor Manager: Building Alternative Support Systems
While an unsupportive or toxic manager contributes greatly to immobilizing careers, building alternative advocacy systems offsets this challenge. Identify sponsors or mentors further removed in the organization with an interest in developing talent. Make efforts to engage them through demonstrating competency, reliability and commitment to their success as well.
For example, human resource professionals coping with an absentee boss may ask senior leaders to join an employee resource group they are passionate about to gain direct exposure. Participation demonstrates initiative and leadership qualities recruiting new sponsors. Connecting meaningfully through industry events or community boards expands influential networks that understand abilities beyond daily duties under faulty managers.
Requesting periodic check-ins from sponsors provides accountability on developmental goals and career progress compensating for lack of attention upwards. Getting performance progress independently documented creates credibility if changes in management become necessary. Constructing an outside support system of advocates invested in success overrides poor management barriers.
Navigating Organizational Bureaucracy: Cultivating Autonomy and Entrepreneurial Mindset
When stymied due to slow decision making, rigid hierarchies or bureaucratic policies, developing autonomy and entrepreneurial tendencies shifts focus to areas of more control over career trajectory. Entrepreneurial employees remain solution-oriented rather than complaint-oriented, addressing issues creatively within means and available resources ( Hornsby et al., 2002).
For example, account executives growing frustrated navigating approval processes may take lead on self-directed business development projects like curating industry webinars attendees gain value from. Conducting low-cost marketing under own initiative highlights thinking "outside the cubicle" and finds backdoor routes to impact via hands-on experience versus waiting on consensus decisions from above.
While corporate structures constrain some aspects, maintain an internal startup mindset always on the lookout for low-risk opportunities advancing career capital through self-generated projects (Browe et al., 2018). Collaborate cross-functionally forming ad hoc teams outside silos to address issues faster than bureaucracy allows. Conscientious entrepreneurialism cultivates independence and makes the most from available means in stifling environments.
Conclusion
While feeling stuck at work due to growth limitations, unclear direction, mundane duties or external constraints like management issues and bureaucracy seems discouraging, taking proactive ownership of one's career development counters even deeply entrenched obstacles. By understanding what's contributing to current dissatisfaction and implementing targeted strategies like continuous self-directed learning, creating a documented professional development plan, advocating for job enrichment to better use strengths, building alternative networks of mentorship when management fails and cultivating autonomy through entrepreneurial initiative, stuck professionals empower themselves to identify new pathways leading to fulfillment, contribution and success. Continuous growth, deliberate career management, leveraging strengths, forming support systems and resourcefulness overcome barriers to career progress. With a solution-oriented approach, no career feeling stalled is unsalvageable.
References
Allen, T. D., Eby, L. T., Poteet, M. L., Lentz, E., & Lima, L. (2004). Career benefits associated with mentoring for protégés: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(1), 127–136. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.89.1.127
Ames, H., Glenton, C., & Lewin, S. (2020). Parents’ and informal caregivers’ views and experiences of cancer treatment management for children: A qualitative evidence synthesis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2, CD010469. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010469.pub3
Browe, L., McDaniel, S. W., Shim, J. K., Thompson Jr, O., Solomon, L. D., & Cinquegrani, M. (2018). Think like a startup: A white paper to help entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs in large organizations act with speed and agility. Journal of Management Inquiry, 27(1), 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492617704176
Doerr, J. (2018). Measure what matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation rock the world with OKRs. Portfolio.
Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management review, 70(11), 35-36.
Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organizational behavior and human performance, 16(2), 250-279.
Hornsby, J. S., Naffziger, D. W., Kuratko, D. F., & Montagno, R. V. (1993). An interactive model of the corporate entrepreneurship process. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 17(2), 29-37.
Jones, I. (2002). Can e-learning deliver training that works?: Some guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of e-learning. Industrial and Commercial Training.
King, Z. (2004). Career self-management: Its nature, causes and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(1), 112-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-8791(03)00052-6
McDonald, K. S., & Hite, L. M. (2005). Reviving the relevance of career development in HRD. Human Resource Development Review, 4(4), 418-439. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484305281005
Rehfuss, M. C., Dukes, R. L., Smith, B. M., Robinson, S. E., & Lofgren, R. L. (2021). Job satisfaction among substance use disorder counselors. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 120, 108133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108133
Additional Reading
Westover, J. H. (2024). Optimizing Organizations: Reinvention through People, Adapted Mindsets, and the Dynamics of Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.3
Westover, J. H. (2024). Reinventing Leadership: People-Centered Strategies for Empowering Organizational Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.4
Westover, J. H. (2024). Cultivating Engagement: Mastering Inclusive Leadership, Culture Change, and Data-Informed Decision Making. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.5
Westover, J. H. (2024). Energizing Innovation: Inspiring Peak Performance through Talent, Culture, and Growth. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.6
Westover, J. H. (2024). Championing Performance: Aligning Organizational and Employee Trust, Purpose, and Well-Being. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.7
Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Workforce Evolution: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Human Capital Needs. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.8
Westover, J. H. (2024). Navigating Change: Keys to Organizational Agility, Innovation, and Impact. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.11
Westover, J. H. (2024). Inspiring Purpose: Leading People and Unlocking Human Capacity in the Workplace. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.12
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Overcoming Feelings of Being Stuck: Strategies for Moving Your Career Forward. Human Capital Leadership Review, 15(3). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.15.3.1
