BecomingGolden

Written by Adv. Brownie Ebal and Victoria Nakiyimba.

On 16th April 2025, during a compelling LinkedIn Live session, HR Consultant and Career Coach Pepe Minambo of Motivation Hub Limited shared thought-provoking insights on a topic many professionals face silently: The Mid-Level Job Crisis. Motivation Hub Limited is a leading coaching and training firm that equips professionals with tools for personal mastery, career growth, and leadership development. Their work empowers individuals to transform their mindset, communicate with impact, and lead with purpose. Learn more at: https://motivatorafrica.net/about-us

During the session, Minambo dissected the mid-career experience into four distinct categories—victims, survivors, navigators, and outliers—each representing a mindset and position that many find themselves in at different stages of their career.

Victims are those who stop growing without even realizing it. They show up, go through the motions, and wait for something external to change their path. Pepe highlighted this by recounting a story of a woman who worked for 30 years as a switchboard operator, only to receive a fridge as a retirement gift. It was a sobering reminder that neither the world nor your employer owes you anything. Growth must be self-driven. Some people, he noted, are victims not by choice, but by virtue of where they are or who they associate with.

Then there are the survivors—people who once showed immense promise, the ones who lit up interview rooms, impressed hiring panels, and started off with high expectations. But once inside the system, they faded into the background, unnoticed and unremarkable. They are not failures, but they are not fulfilled either. The promise simply fizzled out, and they end up contributing little to themselves or their organizations.

Navigators, on the other hand, do everything right on paper. They dress well, meet deadlines, are known by their bosses and clients, and stay on track. But still, they remain stuck. They seem to have everything figured out but do not progress. The issue? Attitude. It is not enough to be good; you must be intentional. You must challenge yourself beyond tasks. As Pepe emphasized, “Hire for attitude and train for skills.” Many navigators fail not because of lack of ability but because of an inability to lead their own growth.

Outliers are the rare ones who rise above. They read the company’s strategic plan. They think for themselves and for others. They are not limited by job descriptions. They make their bosses look good. They are not just workers; they are value creators. While only 15% of people think, and another 15% think they are thinking, outliers belong to neither—they are too busy acting on insight. They understand that success is not about doing more but about thinking better and leading from wherever they stand.

From these insights, the path out of stagnation becomes clear. Learn how to communicate effectively—your ideas, your intentions, and your value. Do not shy away from the politics of the office; understand the dynamics so you can move with wisdom. Make your boss look good—not in a manipulative way, but by stepping up, delivering consistently, and handling responsibilities that go beyond your role. Align your intelligence with your interests. Become someone your boss feels safe with, someone who lifts the team, not just themselves. Do not be afraid of greatness—some people were born great, yes, but others became great by daring to try. Life may twist and turn, but certain principles remain true. Follow them, and you will go further than most.

In conclusion, Pepe’s message was clear: where you start does not define where you end. Whether you are a victim, survivor, or navigator today, you can choose to become an outlier. It begins with how you think, how you act, and how you take ownership of your own growth. The mid-level crisis does not have to be your ceiling—it can be your turning point.