How to navigate unexpected role changes

At one point or another, you may have to face an unexpected role change. It might not be what you want, but there are ways to make it work.

By Vaidehi Joshi

October 29, 2024

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Given how volatile the tech market has been over the past few years, it’s unsurprising that some leaders have had to navigate big role changes.

In January of 2023, just after the holiday season, I received some shocking news at work: our company was implementing a significant reduction in workforce, and our organization was severely impacted. Overnight, I went from being an engineering manager of a small team to an individual contributor alongside other engineers who had similarly survived the layoff. I also happened to be 31 weeks pregnant and was imminently due to go on parental leave in the midst of all of these changes.

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