You know how a simple kitchen task can suddenly turn into a full-scale operations challenge? That was me this week, orchestrating a holiday cookie exchange contribution with the precision of a supply-chain overhaul—until I realized I’d left the brown sugar exposed to the air overnight.
By morning, it had transformed into geological material.
Mixing it with cold butter felt less like baking and more like a resilience exercise. Yes, the cookies eventually emerged victorious—but only after unnecessary friction, extra steps, and far more time than I intended to spend.
That tiny domestic detour delivered a crisp reminder: sequence matters. Preparation matters. And executing the right steps in the right order determines whether our work flows seamlessly or becomes an avoidable scramble.
And while this mishap happened in my kitchen, the lesson resonates across our careers.
When It Comes to Career Resilience, Timing Is Everything
Career momentum isn’t built in a moment. It’s built by leaders who anticipate what’s coming long before the next transition is even visible on the horizon. Nearly everyone experiences involuntary job loss at some point. I’ve lived through it twice—and I’ve walked hundreds of executives through it as well.
Here’s what these experiences consistently teach us:
1. Build and nurture your network before you need it.
Your network isn’t an emergency response system; it’s your professional ecosystem.
Trying to activate shallow or dormant relationships when you’re at your most vulnerable is uncomfortable for everyone involved. It’s even harder to ask for introductions or referrals from someone you’ve just met and hope will champion you.
Relational equity is built gradually—through generosity, visibility, and authentic connection over time.
2. Elevate your LinkedIn profile while the skies are clear.
It’s challenging enough to write positively about yourself when your job feels secure. Doing it during a crisis? That’s like trying to soften rock-hard brown sugar. Possible, yes—but painfully inefficient.
Executives with current, compelling, accomplishment-focused profiles don’t panic when change comes. They’re already discoverable, already differentiated, already positioned for what’s next.
3. Sequence your online engagement strategically.
Commenting, posting, and sharing are essential visibility behaviors.
But here’s the leadership nuance most people overlook:
Engagement works best when your profile is stellar.
If your profile is outdated, overly modest, or incomplete, even brilliant engagement creates a mismatch. People click through, expecting a thought leader—and find a placeholder.
Your profile is the runway.
Your engagement is the lift.
In the right order, they create altitude. In the wrong order, they create confusion.
4. Visibility is not a crisis response. It’s a leadership discipline.
The marketplace rewards leaders who show up consistently, thoughtfully, and with strategic clarity.
Trying to establish visibility only after a transition hits is like turning on your headlights after you’ve entered the tunnel.
Visibility is an investment with compounding returns.
Prepared Leaders Accelerate. Unprepared Leaders Scramble.
This is the essence of The Brown Sugar Principle:
When you wait too long to prepare, even simple actions require unnecessary work.
In your career—as in your kitchen—timing, sequence, and readiness matter far more than we realize.
And the encouraging news? You don’t have to do any of this alone.
Build Your Career Resilience Now (Before You Need It)
I’ve helped hundreds of executive leaders build a resilient brand, elevate their leadership voice, and position themselves for what’s next—even when the timing wasn’t ideal.
Whether you need a done-for-you LinkedIn profile transformation, a trusted advisor to guide your visibility strategy, or resources like my award-winning book, online course, or occasional group programs, you have support available.
If you’re ready to build career resilience and be done with the stress of going it alone, I invite you to schedule an Executive Discovery Call:
https://go.oncehub.com/carolkaemmerer
Let’s make your brilliance impossible to ignore.™
