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Have you ever felt stuck working for a boss who will not advocate for you, invest in your development, or support your growth?

Many mid-career professionals do strong work while feeling invisible, overlooked, and unsure how to move forward.

In this episode, I tackle a reality that many mid-career professionals face but rarely discuss openly. Weak or ineffective leadership is common, but it does not define your future.

I walk you through practical strategies to protect your momentum, build visibility, and take ownership of your next move without damaging relationships or your professional reputation.

I begin by acknowledging the emotional toll of working under poor leadership. Feeling disengaged, underutilized, or trapped by compensation or stability can keep talented professionals stuck longer than they want to admit. From there, we take action to help you regain control of your career direction.

I share how to build visibility beyond your manager through concise results-focused updates, cross-functional projects, and opportunities that put your work in front of decision-makers. We discuss language that allows you to credit your manager while still clearly communicating your contributions and impact.

I’ll show you how to ask for stretch opportunities in ways leaders can say yes to by aligning requests with business priorities, clearly defining scope, and setting timelines that create accountability.

Another key focus is building your own personal board of directors through mentors, sponsors, and internal allies who can advocate for you and open doors. I also explain how to recognize stalling tactics and vague responses so you can gather the information you need to make an honest stay or leave decision.

I share a real-world story of navigating organizational change and how asking direct questions, receiving honest feedback with gratitude, and using that information can help you move forward with purpose.

The bottom line is simple. Doing good work is expected. Visibility and advocacy are what lead to promotions and career advancement. When you stop waiting to be discovered and start choosing yourself, even a difficult boss can become the catalyst that pushes you toward a better future.

Want to go deeper? Join my free Mid-Career GPS Newsletter for weekly insights and strategies to help you build clarity, confidence, and momentum in your career.

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
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Are you working harder than ever yet feeling less visible, less fulfilled, and more burned out in your career?

In this episode, I sit down with leadership strategist and Forbes senior contributor Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Nell 3D, to challenge one of the biggest myths mid-career professionals face today: that doing more is the only way forward. We explore how strategic subtraction can actually help you become more effective, more influential, and more fulfilled in your work.

If you are navigating a tough job market, feeling stuck under ineffective leadership, or wondering how to sustain performance without burning out, this conversation will help you rethink how you show up at work. Nell introduces her practical Stop, Drop, Roll method, a framework that helps high performers pause, remove draining habits, and redesign their workdays so their energy creates bigger results.

We discuss real stories of leaders who cut unnecessary meetings, redesigned team rituals, and reclaimed personal time while still improving team outcomes. We also tackle real mid-career challenges, including dealing with a difficult boss, maintaining confidence in a slow job market, and learning how to stop carrying expectations and criticisms that drain momentum.

If you are holding onto a role for stability while trying to protect your long-term career prospects, you will also learn why strategically cruising at seven instead of ten can actually extend your runway and help you perform where it matters most.

This episode offers permission and practical tools to step back, gather honest data about how you spend your time and energy, and make smarter decisions about what deserves your attention.

If you are a mid-career professional looking for career clarity, stronger leadership presence, or a smarter job search strategy, this conversation will help you see how doing less of the wrong things can help you achieve more of what matters.

Mid-career success is not about grinding endlessly. It is about choosing where your effort creates the most impact. Often, the smartest career move is not adding more. It is subtracting what no longer serves you.

Connect With Nell 3D

LinkedIn | Website | Substack

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
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Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

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Feeling stuck in your career while the job market feels crowded and unpredictable? You are not alone. Many mid-career professionals are navigating confusing signals right now.

Job boards are flooded, promotion paths feel unclear, and AI-generated applications are making it harder than ever to stand out.

In this episode, I bring things back to one powerful idea that can help you move forward with clarity and confidence. Choose one primary strategy and commit to it.

Whether you focus on targeted networking, job board applications, or a thoughtful combination of both, success comes from clarity, consistency, and protecting your energy while you execute.

I walk you through how to audit what is working, identify what is not, and decide what to do next. We talk about defining your next role clearly, understanding the skills and visibility required to earn it, and choosing the strategy that best supports your goals.

If you are pursuing external roles, I explain how applicant tracking systems really work, how to tailor your resume without sounding robotic, and how to compete when hundreds of candidates apply within hours. If your goal is promotion, we cover how to build the right evidence, strengthen internal relationships, and turn positive feedback into real sponsorship and advancement opportunities.

I also address how to use AI as a support tool without losing your voice, why generic cover letters fail, and how reviewing weekly job search data helps you refine your approach.

Finally, I talk about protecting your focus, building a trusted circle of advisors, and maintaining resilience so you can stay steady even in a tough market. And if you are staying put for now, I share how to grow intentionally so you are positioned well when new opportunities emerge.

If you are ready to stop waiting for clarity and start creating it, this episode will help you take your next step with purpose.

If this conversation resonates with you, follow the podcast so you never miss an episode. Share this episode with a colleague or friend who needs clarity in their career right now, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more mid-career professionals find strategies that work.

And if you are ready for your next step, I have something free to help you. Go to johnneral.com/briefing to receive my 15-minute audio

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us a text

One word keeps showing up in interviews with mid-career professionals, and it may be holding you back more than you realize. That word is passion.

In this episode, I break down why employers already assume you care about your work and why passion alone is not what helps you stand out in today’s competitive job market. At mid-career, hiring decisions are less about enthusiasm and more about clarity, credibility, and measurable results.

If you feel stuck, undervalued, or frustrated in your job search, this conversation will help you reposition how you talk about your experience so employers clearly see the value you bring.

I explore how expectations change as your career progresses. Early in your career, hustle and enthusiasm can open doors. At mid-career, decision-makers want proof. They want to understand how your judgment, leadership, and execution improve outcomes, reduce risk, and help teams and organizations perform better.

I also share a real career example that shows how naming measurable results rather than emotions accelerated trust and opened better opportunities. From there, I translate common interview buzzwords into language hiring managers actually use when making decisions, including improving retention, reducing rework, speeding up delivery, and driving measurable performance improvements.

You will walk away with practical ways to reframe your answers so you clearly communicate how you lead, influence, and deliver results, even when you do not have formal authority. Instead of saying you are passionate about leading teams, you will learn how to explain how you improve outcomes and help organizations execute strategy effectively without burning people out.

We also talk through common interview traps, phrases that signal strategic impact, and ways to connect your strengths to the real problems employers are trying to solve right now.

If you want to stand out in a cautious hiring market, this episode will help you replace vague claims with clear, testable value.

If you found this episode helpful, follow the podcast, share it with a colleague who is interviewing, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts so more mid-career professionals can find these conversations.

For a deeper perspective on why being good at your job is no longer enough and how to navigate today’s market, download my free 15-minute audi

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

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Feeling successful on paper but disconnected from your work at mid-career? You are not alone.

In this episode, I sit down with Mitch Matthews, success coach and host of the Dream Think Do podcast, to unpack what real career change looks like when you stop waiting for permission and start creating it yourself.

We talk candidly about that moment when you are busy, accomplished, and respected, yet no longer energized by the work you are doing. Mitch shares a powerful personal story about accepting a promotion that looked perfect on paper but felt wrong almost immediately. Instead of making a reckless leap, he honored his responsibilities while quietly building a new path through small, intentional experiments.

This conversation is especially relevant if you are a mid-career professional seeking greater career clarity, questioning what is next, or feeling stuck in a job that no longer fits. We explore how progress does not require a dramatic exit or a master plan. It requires permission, curiosity, and consistent action.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why permission at mid-career is an internal decision, not something granted by a boss or organization
• How small, low-risk experiments can help you test new career directions without blowing up your current role
• The 15-minute rule and how five short blocks a week can compound into more than 60 hours of focused progress each year
• Why the safest place to explore new ideas is often outside the high-stakes environment of your day job
• What it looks like to lead without having all the answers and why saying “I don’t know, let’s figure it out together” builds trust
• How to use AI as a practical thinking partner instead of a buzzword or replacement for judgment
• Why automation is increasing the value of authenticity, clarity, and human leadership
• How to spot perfectionism when it is disguising itself as procrastination
• Why starting small and messy creates more durable career change than waiting for the perfect plan

Mitch is also sharing his free training, Finding Time for Your Next Chapter, designed to help you carve out focused time for what matters most in this stage of your career.

Access it at mitchmathews.com/time and use coupon code GPS for free access.

Connect with Mitch Matthews

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us a text

“Fine” sounds harmless, but at mid-career it is often a warning light.

In this episode, I unpack why quiet professionalism can be misread as low ambition and how being seen as reliable can quietly turn into being perceived as replaceable.

If you are job-hugging for stability, I help you distinguish between a smart season of skill-building and a slow slide into stagnation, and then show you how to course-correct with intention.

We’ll explore the psychological cost of settling for fine, including overfunctioning to stay relevant, growing resentment, and the internal narrative that you should just be grateful.

I walk you through how to name your genius, the specific value others rely on but rarely articulate, and how to put that value to work in rooms where decisions are actually made.

You will learn a practical approach to brand stewardship at mid-career. That means protecting your brand so leaders, peers, and stakeholders clearly understand your value, and promoting your brand so your impact is remembered when stretch assignments, promotions, and high-visibility projects are on the table.

I cover the early warning signs of a career plateau, including generic performance reviews, smaller bonuses, and fewer strategic invitations, along with specific actions you can take to regain momentum.

Mid-career is your wealth-building window. Doubling down on what you do exceptionally well is not bragging. It is stewardship of your impact, influence, and earning power.

If “fine” has become your default answer, treat it as a signal to act. Listen in, take the scripts and steps I share, and choose one bold action this week to make your genius visible.

If you found this conversation helpful, follow the podcast, share it with a colleague who needs the nudge, and leave a review so more mid-career professionals can find the show.

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us a text

If you feel stuck in your job search even though you are doing all the right things with your resume and LinkedIn, you are not alone. I see this pattern every day with mid-career professionals who are smart, capable, and experienced but still not getting traction in today’s market.

In this episode, I flip the script on how most people think about career growth and job search at mid-career. Job titles are not destinations. They are outcomes.

When you build real career clarity, your value travels with you from one organization to the next, regardless of the title on the door.

I walk you through a practical framework I use with my private clients to move them from scattered job searching to selective, strategic career positioning. We talk about how to define the problems you are best positioned to solve, the conditions where you do your best work, how to SHOW UP from service rather than proving, and how to clearly articulate who you help and what you help them do.

You will also hear how this kind of clarity changes everything about interviews and recruiter conversations. When you stop trying to prove yourself and start SHOWing UP to contribute, your confidence increases, your message becomes sharper, and decision makers can see exactly where you fit.

We also talk about the role of AI in today’s job search. AI can help you optimize keywords, but it cannot replace clarity. Clarity is what carries the interview, builds trust, and helps you stand out in a crowded and noisy market.

In this conversation, you will learn how to make recruiters’ jobs easier by responding quickly, giving clear yes or no answers, and asking what they need next. These small shifts dramatically increase your credibility and momentum.

At mid-career, the most powerful question is no longer “Am I enough?” It is “Where am I most useful?” When you answer that, your job search becomes focused, your energy increases, and your value compounds.

If you are ready to reduce noise, save time, and target roles where your impact actually matters, this episode will give you the tools and language to do it.

If you want help pinpointing where your value belongs next, visit johnneral.com/resources and get the Mid-Career Clarity Code for $43. You will receive a personalized 8 to 10-minute video from me b

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us a text

Career Momentum and Getting "Unstuck" Starts With How You SHOW UP

Career momentum does not come from doing more. It comes from showing up with clarity, intention, and confidence, especially at mid-career. In this opening episode of the year, I share my personal journey from classroom teacher to leadership and career coach, and the moment when being fine was no longer enough.

I walk you through the experiences that shaped how I think about careers today, from turning classic game shows into engaging math lessons to leading instructional coaches across 13 middle schools. Along the way, stalled interviews, internal politics, and budget delays forced me to rethink how career decisions are really made and how influence is built at mid-career.

These lessons became the foundation of my work helping mid-career professionals who feel undervalued, underutilized, or stuck despite doing everything they were told would lead to advancement.

Why Mid-Career Feels Harder Than It Should

Mid-career is not a plateau. It is a dynamic and decisive phase where visibility, influence, and clarity matter more than effort alone. I share how nonprofit reorganizations left me highly valued by some leaders and invisible to others and how those moments sharpened my understanding of what truly drives career momentum.

In this episode, I introduce the six strategies for showing up with intention. These strategies focus on aligning your thoughts, emotions, and actions so you can protect your professional brand, have more meaningful conversations, and make smarter career decisions in a complex job market.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

If you are a manager or senior director balancing career growth with family and caregiving responsibilities, this episode will help you cut through the noise and regain momentum.

You will learn:

• Why mid-career is one of the most important and misunderstood stages of your career
• The turning point that shifted me from educator to leader and coach
• How to read interview signals and ask for feedback that actually matters
• How to reframe career setbacks into growth opportunities
• The six strategies for showing up with clarity and intention
• Common challenges facing managers and senior directors today.

Support the show

Visit https://johnneral.com/resources to:

• Grab my free 15-minute audio briefing about why doing good work at mid-career is no longer "good enough."
• Subscribe to my free leadership and career newsletter
• Get The Mid-Career Clarity Code to help you figure out whatever is next for you and your career

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.