The Strategic Power of Stillness: How Two Career Breaks Redefined My Leadership in L&D

We don’t talk enough about pausing.

Not in hospitality. Not in leadership. Not in life.

We’re conditioned to equate growth with movement—promotions, new roles, back-to-back accomplishments. I believed that, too, until I discovered the quiet, radical power of stepping back.

I’ve taken two career breaks in my journey. Each one changed me—not just as a professional, but as a person.

📍The first came after a transformative assignment in the Maldives. I had delivered results, developed teams, and navigated cultural complexity. But I felt a deeper shift calling.

 Rather than jump into the next offer, I paused—intentionally.

 I wanted to pivot into the cruise industry. That meant acquiring certifications and retooling myself for a new world of operations. That break wasn’t a detour—it was a launchpad. And it worked.

📍The second break was unplanned—a layoff. A tough moment, no doubt. But instead of rushing to replace the job, I chose to rebuild myself.

 I completed the Executive Development Program in Transformational Leadership at XLRI and earned my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. These weren’t just resume fillers—they fundamentally shifted how I lead, influence, and deliver value.

On a résumé, these may appear as “gaps.”

 In reality, they were the most strategic growth phases of my life.

In hospitality, we’re driven by pace, performance, and precision. But real leadership sometimes requires us to hit pause. To ask:

 What do I need to grow into the next version of myself?

 And then to honor that answer—even when it’s uncomfortable.

To my fellow HR & L&D leaders:

 We build learning journeys for others. When was the last time we built one for ourselves?

Breaks aren't signs of weakness. They’re signs of readiness.

 Not about stepping away—but stepping into something more aligned, evolved, and deeply intentional.

If you're in a transition—or even feeling the urge to pause—trust that the space between chapters often writes the most powerful stories.

💬 Have you taken a break that shaped you? Or are you considering one now? I’d love to hear your reflections.

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