How to Get Unstuck: A Practical Guide for Recruitment Leaders Ready to Move Forward
You’re ticking all the boxes. Revenue's solid. Team’s performing. You’ve built something that works – on paper, at least.
But under the surface? Something’s not sitting right.
You feel stuck. Drained. Like you're running at full tilt but not actually getting anywhere. And you're not alone. I see this all the time in the recruitment leaders I coach. Bright, capable, high-achieving professionals who’ve done everything “right” yet find themselves quietly wondering, Is this it?
Here’s the truth: you’re not broken, and you don’t need fixing. What you do need is a shift – a way to reconnect with what actually matters to you, and the confidence to make decisions that align with it.
Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Reconnect With What You Actually Want
So many recruitment leaders lose touch with why they started in the first place. It’s easy to do. The industry rewards speed, targets, and performance, not pausing to ask, Does this still energise me?
But real progress comes when you get clear on what still feels aligned and what doesn’t.
Ask yourself:
If I could rebuild my business or career from scratch today, what would I keep?
What would I immediately let go of?
This isn’t about throwing everything out the window. It’s about getting honest. The recruitment world is full of noise. More calls. More meetings. More hustle. But more doesn’t always mean better.
Take Sarah, a senior leader I worked with who looked outwardly successful but felt completely depleted. Through our coaching, she realised she’d been chasing someone else’s version of success. When she reconnected with her real passion – developing her team from the inside out – her energy shifted. Her leadership felt easier. Her results followed suit.
Step 2: Spot the Real Bottlenecks
Often, it’s not the systems or the strategy that are holding you back. It’s the silent friction. The misalignments you’ve tolerated for too long.
Look at these three areas:
Where are you feeling most drained?
Notice the activities, conversations, or commitments that leave you flat. These clues often go unnoticed because they’ve become normal. That doesn’t mean they’re right for you.
What’s giving energy, and what’s stealing it?
Energy is currency. If you’re consistently running on empty, you’re overspending on things that don’t serve you. What can you restructure, delegate, or walk away from?
What are you tolerating that you’ve outgrown?
This one’s uncomfortable, but vital. Growth requires letting go. Of old roles. Outdated goals. And yes, even clients who no longer fit. Don’t shrink to fit a version of yourself you’ve already evolved beyond.
When I coach leaders through this, we often uncover hidden beliefs or patterns that keep them stuck – even if everything looks fine on the surface. Once you see it clearly, you can do something about it.
Step 3: Stop Fixing. Start Reimagining.
When things feel stuck, our default is often to fix it. Work harder. Push through. Change the CRM. Hire someone new. More action equals more progress, right?
Not always.
Sometimes, what you need isn’t another sprint. It’s space to breathe. To reflect. To challenge the assumptions you’ve been operating under for years.
It’s in these moments of pause that real clarity shows up.
Maybe the model that got you here won’t take you forward. Maybe your leadership style needs to evolve. Maybe you’ve been trying to squeeze yourself into a version of success that simply doesn’t fit anymore.
The recruitment leaders we work with often feel an immense sense of relief when they realise they don’t have to keep forcing things. They’re allowed to reimagine what success looks like on their terms.
So are you.
Step 4: Take One Aligned Step
Here’s where momentum starts.
You don’t need a five-year plan or a full business overhaul. What you need is one decision, made from clarity, not pressure.
Here are some powerful starting points:
Speak to someone who gets it
A coach. A peer. Someone outside your immediate world who can help you spot the blind spots and reflect things back to you with honesty.
Block out real reflection time
Not strategy. Not planning. Real reflection. Ask:
What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?
What would I stop doing if there were no consequences?
Have that brave conversation
Is there a conversation you’ve been avoiding – with a team member, a client, or yourself? Facing it might just be the release you need.
Say no to one thing that drains you
Even one no can create space for something better. Choose a small but meaningful one. You’ll feel the difference.
The Bottom Line: Trust Your Own Wisdom
You don’t need to follow someone else’s blueprint. You’ve built success before. You’ve navigated change. You already have the insight – it just needs space to breathe.
In our coaching work, we don’t hand you a ready-made fix. We create a space where you can reconnect with what you truly want and build from there. That’s where real momentum comes from.
And here’s what I know to be true:
When you lead from alignment, the chaos quiets down. You stop second-guessing. You make decisions with confidence. And you create success that feels sustainable, not just impressive on paper.
You’re not stuck because you’re failing. You’re stuck because you’ve outgrown something. And that’s a sign of growth, not defeat.
So let me leave you with this:
What’s one thing you’ve been avoiding that could unlock your next chapter?
Your answer might just be the beginning of everything you’ve been waiting for.
