The descriptions on how obstacles were overcome
centered around a theme of “lessons learned.” As
situations were recounted where others stood in the way of
their progress as leaders, the authors described themselves
as “naïve,” “having misconceptions,” and “being green”
because of a failure to anticipate these difficulties.
The narratives emphasized that they worked to learn
from their challenges to avoid similar problems in the
future. Explaining what she learned from interacting
with a difficult supervisor, one writer stated, “It is
best to find out where your new supervisor is coming
from. I made assumptions and should not have. . . .
You need to ask questions and think about the ways in
which your perspectives mesh with those of your boss.
It didn’t really occur to me (to do that). How naïve.”
Another recalled a time when difficult colleagues were
circumventing her supervisor and said, “I did not have
enough administrative experience to know what to
do to help the situation. I did learn never to do end
runs around anyone.” Almost being passed over for a
promotion taught one to be aware of other’s prejudices,
but also to recognize that “negative stereotypes can,
over time, be eroded through positive interaction.”
The narratives suggested that learning from difficulties
became a survival skill that aided in being successful at
later stages of their careers.