Coffee Cup Memos

Recently, I interviewed for a leadership role that promised significant career growth and the opportunity to drive organizational impact on a broader scale. Decades of dedication and achievement had to be condensed into two one-hour panel interviews.

Selecting the right candidate is inherently difficult, but too often it hinges on subjective intuition rather than objective track records. Having gone through this process twice in four months and coming up short both times, I was left wondering what went wrong.

Hiring panels rarely share their rationale, but I want to challenge that norm by advocating for honest feedback. Candidates deserve clear post-interview insights: Where did we offer value, and where fell short? Receiving meaningful feedback within 48 hours eliminates lingering doubt, enabling candidates to re-engage with their current work and map out their next steps.

To process the disappointment, I congratulated the selected candidate and offered my full support. Doing so softened the blow to my ego and allowed me to accept the outcome constructively. A trusted colleague later reminded me that my track record remains solid; hiring decisions frequently come down to panel preference rather than individual failure—though failure is often the first thought that creeps in.

Enduring back-to-back panel processes is exhausting. Moving forward, I will prepare by letting go of the need for perfection in my presentations and leaning into quiet confidence in what I bring to the table. I will continue to invest in emerging leaders. If those I mentor eventually surpass my own capabilities, then the investment was well worth it. At my core, I am a people developer—and perhaps that is where my focus truly belongs.

At the end of all this, I am reminded that while I can make all the plans I want, it is ultimately God who directs my footsteps (Proverbs 19:21). He opens doors of opportunity and shuts the ones that are not meant for me. My leadership journey hasn’t ended; it is simply taking a different direction, and I choose to trust Him through the process.

Like the apostle Paul, I am choosing to leave what is behind and press forward. My goal remains the same: to sharpen my knowledge and skills so I am ready for future assignments and greater responsibilities. The possibilities ahead are vast, and the Lord will place me wherever He pleases. He knows where I am needed most, and I will continue to yield to His wisdom.