This is a surprisingly frequent question, for successful men and women.  What if I answered by saying “not only can you, but many of you will be much better off if you do!”

Part of this question is “can I leave my comfort zone and bring myself to make a switch?”  The other part of this question is “will the marketplace let me?”

Willing to leave your comfort zone?  This is not as easy as it sounds for many people.  We have earned stature and recognition, have long-term friends we see at company and industry events, and have become an expert in the issues and lingo.  The idea of rebuilding all of that seems sobering at best.  Countering our natural resistance to change are three factors:

1. There is an old adage that the best time to come home from a vacation is when you are not ready to leave.  It preserves great memories.  The same is true for our careers.  Assume that you will be required, or want to, make a change at some point.  If we have really enjoyed our career so far why not leave when the memories and feelings are so positive?
2. Most of us changed our major two or three times in college.  Then in many cases we launched our career in something different than we envisioned.  Now, 20 or 30 years later, we are still there.  We are going to work another 10 – 20 years.  Do we really want to spend our entire career in the same field?
3. Change may not be as big as it seems.  We may go into a new industry or a much smaller company where we can leverage what we know, yet have enough that is new to actually be stimulating.

My lovely spouse is a very real example.  Her entire career had been spent at IBM which was a bit funny in itself because she really hates technology, and she studied International Affairs in college.  Nevertheless she had done very well, won numerous major awards and was highly respected.  The thought of leaving all of that was a bit terrifying, but thoughts of ending her career without trying anything else became equally troubling to her.  As she began to weigh the trade-offs of the idea of getting “off the road” became very compelling.  She made the leap, and has found tremendous respect for and from her new colleagues.   She is now one year into her new company and role, finding it invigorating and stimulating, and very glad she made the decision to change.

Will the marketplace let us?  Conventional wisdom says no, particularly in an economy where even having stellar credentials and experience has frequently not been enough.  Our experience says definitely yes — for successful leaders. Their leadership experience and proven accomplishments trump other factors.  Furthermore, it is frequently a very strategic step short term and long term.

Many successful leaders tend to describe their past roles, but discount the value of their experience.  As we recover from the economic challenges the practical knowledge in demand includes risk management, successful M&A acquisition and integration, global cultural awareness and experience and an affinity for financial parameters key to sustainability of the company.  Many executives have those experiences — yet prefer to talk about their resume and the positions they have held.

Based on our work with many high level executives, finding a new environment where one’s acquired experiences have value is very doable, but takes a clarity of purpose and a different approach. One final example helps illustrate this point.  Carl had been the Chief Marketing Officer of a major airline.  Through the process Carl came to two realizations:

1. Airline people have jet fuel in their blood.  It is an intense environment where peoples’ safety and comfort are at stake 24/7.  He had no desire to remain in the airline industry, but did realize that he would need a stimulating and fast-paced environment.
2. It is difficult to get a new position as a CMO once one reaches age 50.  This would probably be his last CMO role, and he needed to set the stage for his next chapter.

The story had a very happy ending.  Carl ended up as CMO of a very prestigious national health care organization.  Equally fast-paced and stimulating,  he moved from a consolidating industry to a growth industry with unlimited potential.  He also had a chapter two strategy in place for whenever that role ended.

Creating your own chapter two is about being proactive, rather than waiting for the next offer.  It’s about designing your worklife so it fits with the rest of the life you choose.  It is surprisingly simple to build a vision once you are clear on your own strengths and preferences, and faster and easier with an experienced team behind you.

— Jim Deupree