Develop the YOU Before You Make Your Next Move – 3 Steps to Unlock What’s Next
- Aug 30
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Carla Hawkins, MBA, is the Founder & CEO of The YOU Network, LLC and creator of The YOU Method™. A leadership and professional development strategist, she helps people know who they are, own their value, and unlock what's next in their careers, leadership, and organizations.
Have you ever found yourself asking, "What’s next for me?" Maybe you want the promotion. Maybe you’re ready to leave a career that no longer fits. Perhaps you’ve stepped into leadership and suddenly realize the skills that got you there aren’t necessarily the skills that will help you succeed there. Or maybe, from the outside, everything looks fine, but you know you’re capable of more.
After more than 20 years of working across workforce development, education, leadership, and community engagement, I’ve seen people spend enormous amounts of energy searching for the next opportunity while overlooking the person who will have to step into it: you!
I know this all too well because the traditional model instilled in me was to obtain the appropriate degree(s) that related to my career goals, seek a position at a reputable company, become an asset, get promoted, and retire after 30 years. It’s pretty safe to say now, after 20 years and several career pivots, the new model involves answering some deep questions and being more adaptable than ever before!
That realization has shaped much of my work and the philosophy I often share. Before we connect you with the who, we have to develop the you. The right connection, employer, mentor, client, opportunity, or title can open a door. But what happens after that door opens depends largely on the person walking through it. That is where The YOU Method™ begins.
Why professional growth has to start with YOU
Career and leadership development are often approached from the outside in. We update the resume. Apply for another position. Attend a networking event. Earn another certification. Learn another leadership technique.
Those things can absolutely matter. But tactics without clarity can lead to a lot of movement without meaningful progress.
I have worked with professionals who possessed impressive experience but struggled to articulate their value. I’ve encountered emerging leaders who knew their jobs exceptionally well but were learning that managing work and leading people require different skills. I’ve seen talented people pursue opportunities simply because they were available, not because those opportunities aligned with where they actually wanted to go. Before asking, “What should I do next?” there is a more important question, “Who am I becoming next?”
This is exactly what one of my clients, Kerri C, asked herself. She signed up for 1:1 career coaching here and realized her passion and purpose didn't align with her educational degrees and previous work experience. She became ready to evolve and adapt to something new and exciting. Kerri now works for a company closely aligned with her passion, and she enjoys every moment of it!
Quick tip: If you don’t already have one, connect with a career coach to gain amazing perspective on whether you are truly aligned.
Who you are becoming next is at the heart of The YOU Method™
1. Your foundation: Know who you are
Your next level should not begin with a job posting. It should begin with self-awareness. What are your strengths? What do you value? What environments allow you to thrive? What patterns continue to hold you back? What skills have you developed that you may be undervaluing?
Most importantly, who are you now, and who do you need to become to reach your next level? This is important whether you’re pursuing a new career, preparing for leadership, building a business, or trying to become more effective in your current role. Before adding more to your resume, take inventory of the person behind it.
2. Own your value: Recognize it, communicate, demonstrate it
Knowing your value privately isn’t enough. You must learn to communicate it. I frequently see experienced professionals struggle when someone asks a seemingly simple question, “Tell me about yourself.” They can explain everything they have done, but not necessarily the value they created. The same challenge appears in leadership. A title may establish authority, but it doesn’t automatically create influence, trust, executive presence, accountability, or effective communication.
Owning your value means understanding what you bring to the table and developing the confidence and communication skills to consistently demonstrate it. Ask yourself, if I weren’t allowed to use my job title, how would I explain the value I bring?
Quick tip: Your answer can reveal a great deal about how clearly you understand your professional identity. Take some time to determine your three superpowers or, simply put, your top three strengths. Know what you bring to the table and own it!
3. Unlock what’s next: Turn growth into action
Clarity without action eventually becomes another good idea. Once you understand your foundation and can articulate your value, the next step is deciding what you will do with it.
That could mean having the conversation you’ve been avoiding. Applying for the position you previously talked yourself out of. Building relationships before you need something from them.
Developing a 90-day leadership plan. Setting boundaries. Finding a mentor. Learning a new competency. Changing industries. Or recognizing that your next level isn’t necessarily somewhere else, it may require showing up differently exactly where you are. This is where development becomes movement. The question becomes, "What will you do next with what you’ve learned about yourself?"
Your next level may require a different version of you. It may be past time to take some online career assessments to gain clarity and resources for what and who to connect with next. That’s why I love doing what I do, connecting the dots with YOU!
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is expecting the person we have been to automatically be equipped for everything we say we want next.
Growth doesn’t mean abandoning who you are. It means becoming more intentional about who you are becoming. Your next opportunity may require stronger communication. Your next leadership role may require greater emotional intelligence. Your career pivot may require you to stop defining yourself by an old job title. Your next chapter may require the confidence to walk into rooms where no one already knows your name.
Sometimes, unlocking what’s next requires acknowledging that something that once fit you no longer does. That’s not failure. That’s growth. Once you tackle this obstacle, the sky is the limit.
Before you ask “Who can help me?” ask “Who am I becoming?”
Relationships matter. Networks matter. Mentors matter. Sponsors matter. Opportunities matter. I built The YOU Network around that very belief: connecting you with the who. But something comes first.
Developing the YOU. Know who you are. Own the value you bring. Then take intentional action toward what’s next. Because the goal isn’t simply to get another opportunity.
The goal is to become prepared for the opportunity when it arrives and confident enough to recognize when it’s yours.
Ready to discover what’s next?
If you’re navigating a career transition, preparing for your next level of leadership, or looking for ways to strengthen your organization, start with these three questions:
Who am I now and who do I need to become?
What value do I bring, and can I communicate it clearly?
What action am I willing to take next?
Those three questions can change the direction of a career, a leader, a team, and sometimes an entire organization. Connect with my team today here or email us here and let us know you are ready! Know YOU. Own YOU. Unlock YOU.™
Read more from Carla J. Hawkins
Carla J. Hawkins, Founder & CEO of The YOU Network, LLC & Creator of The YOU Method™
Carla Hawkins, MBA, is a leadership and professional development strategist and Founder & CEO of The YOU Network, LLC. With more than 20 years of experience spanning workforce development, education, leadership, and community engagement, she helps individuals and organizations turn potential into purposeful action. Carla created The YOU Method™, a framework centered on knowing who you are, owning your value, and unlocking what’s next. Through coaching, consulting, training, and speaking, she develops confident professionals, stronger leaders, and more effective organizations. Her philosophy: before you connect YOU with the WHO, you must first develop the YOU.
