The Scenic Route: Rethinking How We Grow Our Careers

Photo by Staci Jones - Canadian Road Trip

When we think about career growth, it’s easy to imagine a direct flight: point A to point B, the fastest route to a destination called “success.” Titles, promotions, upward moves – they are the non-stop tickets we are told to chase.

But what if the best version of your career isn’t about arriving quickly, but about seeing more along the way?

Think about the difference between flying to a destination and driving there. Flying gets you there fast, but you miss the towns, the unexpected detours, the conversations, the roadside diners. Driving takes longer, but this is where the stories happen. This is where you discover things you did not even know you were looking for.

That is what lateral career moves are like. They are the scenic routes.

The Power of the Long Way Around

Early in my career, I believed the fastest way to grow was straight up: next role, next title, not detours. But over time, I noticed something.

Everyone around me was looking up, chasing titles like gates at the airport. But I started noticing what was happening around me. There were new projects, emerging challenges, opportunities to collaborate across teams, even potential roles outside my industry. These were not necessarily promotions, but they were more exciting. And if I am honest, they provided growth and were more fulfilling than simply moving higher.

So, I took the long way, and it changed everything.

In my decades in healthcare administration, I made several lateral moves. I even stepped away from healthcare to explore different industries such as telecom and IT. I stepped into unfamiliar areas, said yes to complex projects, and learned from people outside my usual circles. Every time I “drove instead of flew,” I picked up new tools, perspectives, and relationships that made me a better leader.

A Career Is Not a Flight Path – It Is a Road Trip

A straight-line career might look efficient on paper, but a career built on rich, varied experiences is often more powerful and more rewarding.

Taking the scenic route means you:

·      Learn how different parts of the business connect.

·      Build resilience by adapting to new contexts.

·      Gain insight that others who “fly past” might miss.

·      Discover new interests that lead to unexpected opportunities.

What the Road Trip Taught Me About People

One of the most powerful lessons I learned on my “road trip” was to truly appreciate people’s strengths and differences. Just like every leg of a journey needs something different - a navigator, a storyteller, someone to change the tire - every team thrives when we value what each person brings to the table. Embracing those differences, rather than trying to make everyone fit in the same mold, allowed me to build stronger, more resilient teams. The road taught me that diversity in perspective isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. It is the engine of progress.

Success Isn’t Just a Destination

One of the greatest joys of my leadership career was seeing others realize this too. I loved watching leaders take off. Not just because they climbed higher, but because they explored more. They challenged the idea that success only moves upward.

Now, in this new chapter of personal growth and coaching, I look back with gratitude that I didn’t always take the direct flight. The journey was the reward. The detours were the difference-makers.

So, if you are feeling pressure to move “up,” pause and consider… What might you gain by taking the wheel and choosing the scenic route instead?