Are you ready for what comes next? — Anouk Pappers
Senior leaders often think about the next step. A board role. A broader mandate. A different kind of contribution.
Far fewer stop to ask: Am I ready for it today?
Too often, preparation starts once the opportunity appears. A recruiter reaches out. A conversation begins. A role opens up.
But by then, things are already moving.
Shortlists form quickly. Names are mentioned in conversations you are not part of. Impressions are shaped before you have the opportunity to explain your experience or perspective.
At that stage, experience is no longer what sets you apart. It is expected.
What matters is whether people understand how you think, how you operate, and what kind of contribution you could make in a new setting.
Working with executives around the world, I have found that this is often where the real work begins.
I recently spoke with a senior executive who had been approached about a potential board role. The conversation was still informal, but she realized something important very quickly.
Her experience was strong. That was not the issue.
What was less clear was how she wanted to be seen at board level.
When she spoke about her background, she focused mostly on past responsibilities and operational scope. What remained less visible was her judgment. How she approaches complexity. What she would pay attention to in the boardroom. Where she would challenge management. What kind of voice she would bring to the table.
The capability was there. The positioning around it was not yet clear.
Waiting until the opportunity appears is often too late.
By then, people are already asking: Who is she? How does she think? Would she add something different to the boardroom?
The answers usually come from signals that have been there for a while.
It shows up in how you introduce yourself, how others describe you, what you publish, and what people find when they look you up online. Quietly, these signals begin to form a consistent picture.
This takes reflection, and many senior leaders rarely give themselves time for it.
Careers move fast. Experience accumulates. But unless you step back and connect the moments that shaped your thinking, it becomes difficult for others to understand what defines your leadership today.
Leaders who take that time are easier to place in unfamiliar situations. Easier to recommend. Easier to trust.
And often, they are brought into conversations earlier.
Being ready is not about predicting a specific opportunity.
It is about making sure that your story, judgment, and contribution are already understood before the opportunity arrives.
Because when the moment comes, there is rarely time to build that understanding from scratch.
As you think about what comes next, how clearly can others describe the way you think before you walk into the room?
A brand anthropologist who has been storytelling for brands since 2002, Anouk Pappers has interviewed over 900 CEOs, CMOs, and business owners and published 15 books. Anouk’s primary focus is on working with leaders to define their brand and pinpoint their professional narrative. Through her company, Signitt, Anouk supports organizations and executives in aligning their messaging and online presence with their personal and organizational brand, positioning them for growth, board opportunities, client acquisition, investor relations, and career advancement.
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
