Episode 320 - Discover the idea of “productive cringe” and how the slightly embarrassing moves you avoid are often the exact moves that unlock new roles, better opportunities, and a more sustainable career.

Over the past few months, a phrase has appeared again and again in my coaching sessions with senior professionals.

“I know I should post on LinkedIn, but that feels cringe.”
“I know I should reach out to that person at my dream company, but that feels cringe.”
“I know I should negotiate, but I do not want to be that person.”

At first glance, these might sound like small worries. In reality, they tell us a great deal about how mid-career professionals are relating to their work in 2025. Cringe has become a powerful, if unspoken, organising force in many corporate careers. Not the justified embarrassment that comes from genuinely unprofessional behaviour, but the anticipatory discomfort we feel when we imagine colleagues rolling their eyes at our ambition.

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Timestamps to guide your listening:

00:00 The Cringe Factor in Career Advancement
00:53 Understanding Cringe and Its Impact
07:21 Overcoming Cringe in Job Search
12:06 Networking and Cold Outreach Cringe
19:29 Negotiating Salary and Ambitions
24:38 Reinventing Yourself and Embracing Change
26:09 Learning from Leaders: Embracing Cringe

Links mentioned in this episode:

About the host, Renata...

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