Mid-Career: 40s-50sAnn Brody2019-01-14T15:47:56-06:00

Mid-Career: 40s-50s

midlife transition, work-life balance

Carol

In a meteoric career, Carol moved from a position in consumer education, to a management position with a power company. She went on to become a Vice President and, ultimately, Chief Communications Officer. Unfortunately, each step up in Karen’s career came at a cost to her. With each promotion, Carol moved farther from her core values– her family, her husband, her community and her true inner self.

She had lost the balance that would lead to fulfillment and satisfaction. She admitted, “Although I embraced each promotion, I realized that it took me further and further from the customer interaction that I enjoyed so much.” At the same time, her responsibilities provided her with fewer opportunities to use her creative abilities and her finely tuned entrepreneurial skills.

Carol participated in the Highlands “Whole Person” process to reassess her own career development. As a result of the program and much soul searching, Carol left her company. She redirected her life and career and is now the CEO of a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help develop the next generation of leaders in her metropolitan area. This position allows Carol to incorporate many of the values and abilities that had been lost to her–- community service, direct contact with people, and a new opportunity to be creative and instrumental in development of an organization.

Equally important, Carol has been able to structure her new role to allow more time for her husband and children. She also has made time for outside activities important to her. The combination allowed her to re-establish a balance in the priorities in her life.

“I took the Highlands Ability Battery to learn more about myself, to become a more well-rounded individual, to be more productive at work, to be a better wife, to be a better mother, and to be a better friend.”

John

John, a marketing manager, wondered about his career and why he felt like moving in a different direction. Relatively satisfied people can find themselves thinking about change– sometimes major change.

John was at what we call the Mid-Life Transition–probably the best known Turning Point in popular culture. John decided to take a proactive approach rather than just hunker down and endure. The Highlands ‘Whole Person” approach helped him make sense of it all.

“I realized that I have a number of very powerful abilities that allow me to solve problems quickly and intuitively. It means that I need a very fast-paced environment that involves a lot of quick problem solving. In fact, when it’s not very stable– what a lot of people would call chaotic-– that’s when my real talents absolutely shine.”

John was able to focus on exactly that part of his career that needed to change and reposition himself within his company. In the end, mid-life wasn’t a crisis but an opportunity for new challenges.

“I have taken a lot of assessments, which are all good for different things. The Highlands is the most comprehensive and speaks to a lot of different areas of leadership and teamwork.”

Don Eisenhauer

Ann introduced me to the Five O’Clock Club as well as a battery of personal and professional testing mechanisms. She is a great listener and knows how to pin-point your challenge/problem/frustration. Ann recreates your confidence and sense of direction while looking out more than just 6 months. I often re-read my test scores, our notes together and her lists of readings. I highly recommend Ann Brody. My wife, a college educator, had great success with Ann’s methodologies too.

Don Eisenhauer

Allscripts Outcome Executive Associate

Danielle Henderson

Ann has been an invaluable career coach to me, my husband and one of our closest friends. I’d recommend her and her processes to anyone looking to get some clarity on the next steps in their career. She inspires trust, helps you build confidence that you can make a productive change, and was really a joy to work with in every way. She is also knowledgeable and creative — a great coach!

Danielle Henderson

Account Executive - Veeva Systems

Elizabeth Wiggs Maas

Ann helped me through a very difficult time this past year when I found myself new to Chicago, and without a job. Together we explored my unique strengths and by the end of my sessions with her, I was able to confidently choose a path for myself to follow. I learned things about myself and my skills that I never knew before, and the result was that I ended up taking a chance in my career that has paid off very well. The best part about my work with Ann was getting so much more insight into myself and the way I work – I’d recommend her to anyone who’s feeling unfulfilled in his or her current position!

Elizabeth Wiggs Maas

Marketing at Fairlife, LLC

Dan McMahon

I have worked with Ann on and off for over 5 years. Throughout my relationship with Ann as an independent and objective career advisor, Ann has offered valued advice that has been integral to my ability to navigate the complex corporate world.

I highly recommend Ann to anyone who feels the need to seek advice from an independent objective source on dealing with the issues employees are faced with, which can at times be complex given the current economic environment.

Dan McMahon

Business Growth Advisor at Integrated Growth Advisors

James P. Moorhead

Ann has been a career mentor since 2011, when I took the Highlands testing. I would highly recommend Ann’s services – she provides thoughtful and detailed career guidance, has in-depth experience and background from which to draw advice, and is a steady mentor at each step of the way.

James P. Moorhead

John Briggs

Ann has provided coaching to both of my sons — each at crossroads in their academic and educational choices. One son was midway through college and was second-guessing his choice of major/feild, etc. Ann was able to determine his core strengths and weakenesses, and steered him back to his original plan — and even provided him with a few options he had never considered. My other son, still at the high school level, was wrestling through the choices of majors, and Ann was able to highlight his strengths, giving him confidence that he could be successful regardless of his choice. I’m really glad we involved Ann in this process.

John Briggs

Director, Creative Network at AbbVie

Jon Rappoport

When I first met Ann some years ago, I was quite unsure of myself and frankly, too hard on myself for not having “figured it out.”

With the impact of her invaluable coaching having had a lasting effect on my decisions and successes to this day, Ann helped me to realize the unique and innate potential and purpose within myself. Her warmth, her intelligence, her support and her expertise are a huge part of the trajectory on which I still find myself growing, learning and pursuing the passions which continue to unfold before my eyes.

I will always look back on our time working together with fondness and appreciation, and as life — both personally and professionally — continues to be a revealing journey, I am bolstered by the knowledge that Ann and her talent as a career coach is just a phone call away.

Jon Rappoport

Strategist, Consultant and Chief Fig (Facilitator + Idea Generator)

Marie Theiss

Ann is one of the most intuitive, personable, and balanced professionals I know. I’m so glad to have connected with her. She’s helped me over the years with formulating my business strategy, identifying areas that are important to me and creating a fulfilling professional and personal life. Ann is so intuitive and looks for a holistic approach that satisfies so many angles. She helped me strike a balance between capitalizing on running my business, giving my attention to my philanthropic work, and maintaining a sense of calm during hectic and challenging periods of life. She is a gem, she’s funny and is such a valuable person in my life. I am so proud to recommend her here, and have been doing so to my personal and professional friends.

Marie Theiss

Independent Instructional Designer