It’s no secret that Customer Success is still in a bit of a whirlwind. Many of us, whether we’re seasoned CSMs or CS leaders, are still navigating a tricky job market where advertised roles on LinkedIn can attract hundreds of applications. It really feels like we’re constantly battling to prove our worth, needing to pivot to a commercial mindset just to keep up and show tangible business impact.
If you have a job, there's the relentless pressure to hold onto those jobs, master the latest AI tools, and deliver more value by fighting churn and highlighting every penny of saved revenue. And if you're actively job-hunting, things can feel even tougher, particularly as we head into the summer months when recruitment often slows down. It can feel like the odds are stacked against us, and frankly, it's exhausting.
But here we are, in the heart of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the beginning of the holiday season. It’s a natural and crucial time to pause, reflect, and look inward. It’s a moment to reconnect with what truly matters to you.
I learned this week that we're now closer to the year 2050 than we are to 2000, so it’s more vital than ever to find your North Star. This isn't just about your career trajectory; it's about connecting with what truly resonates within your soul and fuels your everyday.
Some Tools that help
Self-Reflection in Action
Before you can confidently chart a new course or even double down on your current path, you need to deeply understand what genuinely fuels you and, critically, what consistently drains you. A brilliant starting point for this exploration is by rigorously identifying your energy givers and energy takers. I did this exercise yesterday after attending a brilliant group coaching session this week, led by my dear fellow GTM consultant Angela Scott. It worked wonders.
Take a moment to think about your day-to-day activities at work, your interactions with colleagues and customers, and even your recurring thoughts or internal narratives. Which of these consistently leaves you feeling invigorated, excited, and full of ideas? Conversely, which ones deplete your reserves, leaving you feeling tired, frustrated, or simply flat?
One powerful and actionable technique for this is The Energy Audit. This involves systematically tracking your energy levels throughout a typical workday or even over a full week. You'd make a note of specific activities, meetings, projects, or interactions and critically assess how they make you feel on an energy scale (e.g., from +5 for highly energising to -5 for highly draining).
Another absolutely essential exercise is Values Clarification. Our core values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that underpin our decisions, shape our behaviours, and ultimately define who we are. When our work, our role, and our environment genuinely align with these deeply held personal values, we experience significantly greater satisfaction, reduced stress, and a profound sense of purpose. For example, if ‘impact’ is one of your top core values, then a role where you can clearly see and measure the positive difference you're making for customers and the business will be infinitely more fulfilling than one where your contributions feel invisible or incremental. To embark on the journey of uncovering and articulating your own core values, here’s a helpful resource that guides you through the process.
The Reality Check
If you find yourself in a place where you have identified what gives you that energy and aligns with your purpose, it's time for a reality check. You need to look at what roles and skills are in demand right now, and you need to perform a Skill-Gap Analysis & Future-Proofing. The Customer Success landscape is evolving at breakneck speed, demanding not just traditional relationship management but a much stronger commercial mindset and a pragmatic understanding of emerging technologies, such as AI. I will put this out very bluntly - you need to become AI fluent in CS, if not an AI native. That is a given. Take an honest inventory of your current skills against what's being increasingly required for the future of CS. Are you comfortable discussing Return on Investment (ROI), demonstrably driving revenue, and speaking the precise language of the business and its C-suite? This sharpened focus on delivering measurable value (not only to your customers) and proactively fighting churn is absolutely paramount in today's climate.
Finally, dedicate time to Networking with Purpose. It's no longer just about collecting LinkedIn connections - this doesn't buy you anything. It's about cultivating genuine, meaningful relationships with individuals who inspire you and offer unique and valuable perspectives on the evolving industry.
Seek out mentors and peers who are actively embracing the commercial side of CS, those who are successfully leveraging AI, or individuals who are bravely exploring entirely new avenues within the GTM (Go-To-Market) ecosystem. Quality over quantity is the mantra here.
Your Next Steps for this Summer
After this period of profound reflection and diligent planning, it’s absolutely crucial to make a deliberate and conscious decision about your next significant step. Do you genuinely want to lean further into becoming more commercially minded, dedicating yourself to learning to speak the language of revenue, business growth, and quantifiable impact? This path is becoming indispensable for not only showcasing your personal value but also for effectively fighting churn and securing renewals.
Or perhaps, your reflections have led you to consider exploring entirely new frontiers. Are you open to a role like GTM Engineering? This is one of the fastest-growing job functions in the current market, primarily focused on optimising processes and supporting all GTM teams (like Sales, Marketing and CS) to work far more efficiently and effectively with AI solutions. Or perhaps you feel a pull towards Sales, wanting to try your hand at new business acquisition. The overarching and most critical takeaway from this entire exercise is that these deep, strategic reflections provide you with the essential emotional and cognitive reassurance needed to make truly informed, empowered, and authentic decisions about your career path. Without this internal alignment, any external move might feel like a leap in the dark.
So, this summer is a good summer! Get out there and grow! Take back control of what really matters to you and align what is needed. And start playing with some ideas, in your head, have conversations and put it out there.
I passionately help B2B businesses not only to grow their existing clients strategically but also to empower their Customer Success leaders to truly thrive in this dynamic landscape. If you're a Customer Success leader who feels ready to sharpen your commercial acumen, enhance your leadership skills, and lead with even greater impact, I've just launched a waiting list for a brand new 10-week private mentorship programme designed specifically for commercial leaders.
If you're eager to take your leadership and commercial capabilities to the next level, I warmly invite you to join the waiting list here: https://www.scorecard.thecsacademy.net/mentorship.
Take this summer to pause, reflect deeply, and rediscover what truly lights you up. Enjoy the ride!
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