Reinventing at Mid-Career: Lessons from Herminia Ibarra at the London Business School event

The idea for this piece came after two conversations that stayed with me, the mid-career banking professional exploring business school education for a complete career pivot. A seasoned business development professional wanting to pursue communication and event programming as their new passion.

Both raised the same question: why do leaders and managers, performing at the top of their game, find themselves at the edge of a career shift? And why does making the leap often feel counter-intuitive to the skills and instincts that have brought them success?

I attended Herminia Ibarra’s talk at the London Business School Festival of Minds on 14 June 2025, where she explored these questions in depth. Drawing on decades of research, she offered a practical but challenging roadmap for navigating mid-career transitions.

Prof. Herminia Ibarra at the London Business School, June 2025

Success Meets Restlessness

Herminia began with an observation many of us recognise: career shifts are rarely triggered by sudden crises. More often they grow from a gradual awareness that the current path – however rewarding – no longer offers the challenge, growth, or sense of alignment it once did.

For senior leaders, this moment can be unsettling. The strengths that have propelled their rise – decisiveness, deep expertise, consistent delivery – are not always the ones that support reinvention.

Counter-Intuitive Nature of Change: Why the Leap Feels Harder Than It Should

Timing is the first hurdle. Drawing on Charles Handy’s “Second Curve” concept, Herminia urged us to begin exploring new possibilities while still at our peak. It is a paradox: when performance is strong and recognition is flowing, the urge to “stay the course” is at its highest. Yet building new skills, networks, and opportunities takes time. Wait too long and change becomes reactive rather than proactive.

Her example of Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp – stepping down while still at the top – illustrated both the courage and clarity needed to walk away before decline.

Why is the leap difficult-  What Really Gets in the Way

The second hurdle is identity. Many leaders define themselves by role, title, and network. Letting go of this is not just a professional decision – it is a personal unravelling of structures that shape daily life.

This “messy middle,” as Herminia calls it, is the period between letting go of the old and fully stepping into the new. It strips away familiar feedback loops and networks, creating both discomfort and an opening for discovery. As one financial director in her research put it: “Nobody told me you’re going to go through hell. It required a skill I didn’t have – the skill of waiting.”

Herminia’s Five Strategies for Reinvention

1. Start Before You Have To

Whether you are leading a trading desk or running international business development, begin exploring your next curve before the current one flattens Treat exploration as an ongoing investment, not an emergency measure. The most successful transitions in Herminia’s research began while people were still delivering strong results in their current roles.

Mid-Career Transition Strategy

2. Accept the Messy Middle

Career change is rarely a clean break. It involves a period of ambiguity in which the old role is gone but the new one is not yet fully formed. This ambiguous in-between stage can feel like a loss of identity – yet it is also when experimentation and self-discovery have the most room to breathe. As one financial director in Herminia’s study put it, “Nobody told me you’re going to go through hell. It required a skill I didn’t have – the skill of waiting.”

3. Experiment, Don’t Just Introspect

“You won’t figure it out by introspection. Act your way into a new way of thinking,” Herminia reminded us. Small, low-risk experiments – side projects, short courses, advisory roles – allow you to test multiple futures before committing. One compliance officer in her research explored board roles, creative ventures, and consulting before finding the right mix. The key is to treat this as fast prototyping: try, learn, and adjust.

4. Leverage the Power of Weak Ties

Our closest contacts often share the same perspectives we do. More distant connections – “weak ties” – are far more valuable for uncovering fresh opportunities and ideas. Herminia’s work – and recent LinkedIn research – shows that more distant connections are far more valuable for uncovering fresh opportunities.

5. Self-Reflect Out Loud

Discussing career ideas with others sharpens thinking and reveals possibilities you might miss on your own. These conversations often lead to unexpected introductions or collaborations. For mid-career leaders accustomed to private decision-making, this can feel unfamiliar – yet it is one of the most effective accelerators of change.

Today’s Transition Landscape: Why This Matters More Now

Today’s transition landscape is shaped by three forces: ageing demographics extending working lives, geopolitical shifts altering industries, and rapid technological change demanding continuous skill renewal.

For leaders, the opportunity lies in seeing reinvention not as a one-off leap but as a repeatable skill. The risk is in delaying until market forces or personal energy levels dictate the move.

Key Takeaways

Mid-career change is rarely linear. It is uncertain, sometimes messy, but rich in possibility for those willing to experiment, take calculated risks, and keep conversations flowing.

From her research and stories, three principles stand out for anyone considering a mid-career pivot: begin exploration early,  before performance or energy decline; Use experimentation to reduce risk – learn by doing, not just by thinking; Expand beyond your usual circles – weak ties and fresh perspectives fuel reinvention.

For leaders today, the choice is not between stability and change. It is between waiting for change to arrive uninvited or shaping the next curve while still riding the crest of the current one.

Professor Herminia Ibarra is internationally recognised as one of the world's leading experts on career transitions, professional identity, and reinvention. Before London Business School, she previously taught at institutions such as INSEAD and Harvard Business School, and her journey has been one of continuous curiosity and challenge, moving from academic research on how people change, to global influence through her writing, teaching, and speaking

Fifteen years ago, when pivoting on my journey, I had the opportunity to read a book, "Working Identity," to discover new roles, experiments, and networks that could shape a pivot in my career. Herminia joined London Business School a decade later as the Charles Handy Professor of Organisational Behaviour, and this year I had the opportunity of hearing her live at the Festival of Mind in June 2025.

Herminia’s session drew on decades of work helping people understand and reinvent their professional identities. Her insights offer not only practical strategies for mid-career transitions but also a compassionate roadmap for embracing change and growth at any stage.

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