Careers plateau silently. There is no alarm that sounds when you have stopped growing, no notification that pops up warning you have become comfortable. The only signal is the gradual absence of discomfort, the slow fading of the questions that once kept you awake at night.
I discovered this truth the hard way. The day I stopped wondering “what if?” and started saying “I know” marked the beginning of a plateau I did not even recognize until months later. If you talk to most accomplished masters, they will tell you that mastery is an elusive mirage. Just when you think…
Yumi Clevenger-Lee
Yumi Clevenger-Lee is Quest Global’s Chief Strategy Officer. She is accountable for Brand Building, Lead Generation and Sustainability. Additionally, she is the chief architect for the company’s five-year growth plan and collaborates across the organization to ensure its measured implementation. Yumi joined Quest Global in August 2021 and works to advance its purpose of being the most trusted partner for the world’s hardest engineering problems. She balances a strong general manager approach with a passion for brand building and creating teams that deliver business results. With over 20 years of marketing experience and strong business acumen, she has a track record of transforming businesses and reinventing brands through purpose, developing engaging campaigns, launching new product innovation, elevating margins, and delivering PNL results. She is a firm believer in “delivering a superior and consistent brand experience and emotionally connecting brands with people.” She loves to find the intersection of helping brands be both a force for growth and a force for good. Prior to joining Quest Global, Yumi was the EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Nestle Waters North America where she led the growth of a $4.5B portfolio of 16 brands with operations across 30 factories. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and earned an International Business BSBA and International Studies BA degrees from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she was valedictorian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Identifying a career plateau involves recognizing subtle signals rather than overt warnings. Professionals should be aware of a lack of new challenges or the absence of curiosity-driven questions that once fueled their growth. Yumi Clevenger-Lee highlights that when comfort settles in, it often marks the beginning of stagnation. Hence, regular self-reflection and seeking feedback from peers can help recognize a plateau early.
Quest Global emphasizes a proactive approach to career development by integrating advanced engineering solutions and fostering strategic partnerships. Unlike generic career development programs, Quest Global focuses on customized, end-to-end engineering solutions that offer real-world applications and opportunities for innovation. This strategic alignment with technological advancements and industry needs is a hallmark of Quest Global’s unique value proposition.
Engineering leaders can leverage Quest Global’s insights by promoting a culture that values continuous learning and adaptation. By implementing Quest Global’s frameworks, leaders can encourage their teams to engage in strategic thinking, embrace new technologies, and focus on solving complex engineering challenges. This approach not only enhances team performance but also aligns with Quest Global’s mission of driving global engineering innovation.
Leaders should foster a culture that values humility, curiosity, and hunger for growth. This involves encouraging continuous learning through workshops, cross-functional projects, and mentoring programs. Creating an environment where questioning and innovation are rewarded can also prevent stagnation. Quest Global emphasizes these values as part of their framework for maintaining a dynamic and growth-oriented workplace.
Embracing discomfort is vital because it propels individuals out of their comfort zones, triggering new learning experiences and innovation. In the engineering sector, where technological advancement is rapid, staying comfortable can lead to obsolescence. Quest Global’s insights suggest that navigating discomfort can lead to mastery and open doors to new opportunities, ensuring sustained career growth and relevance.
