Yesterday, I had a meeting with a young man who is in transition. He grew up in a tough part of St. Louis and made something of himself, but now he’s being moved out of his role because the new boss wants someone else in the position.
We spent time catching up on life, and I simply tried to offer him a word of encouragement. He’s come further than many believed he would—and he has so much more to contribute to the region.
My encouragement to him was this: take a moment to breathe. Take a break. Go somewhere to decompress. Then get back in the game. I reminded him not to let himself be pigeonholed into certain roles. His skillset isn’t just a tool, it’s a platform.