Play & Book Excerpts
Now, Near, Next
(Amplify Publishing)
© Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer & Kimberly K. Rath
YOU’VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION “You’re the yin to my yang”? That is the best description of the synergy that Kimberly and I have found through this journey together. Although we have joked that it sometimes feels more like the tortoise and the hare.
I am overzealous, eager to move to action, and occasionally impatient. For example, when we signed with Amplify Publishing Group, I downloaded TikTok for the first time, recorded a three- minute ad hoc video announcing our Now, Near, Next framework, and shared our excitement to shine a light for mid-career women. Boom, off to the races!
Kimberly, measured, diligent, and focused, followed my post with a gentle text message. She suggested waiting until we received our service mark registration to protect our branding before sharing our concepts with the world, particularly via TikTok. Hmm, details.
Fortunately, like yin and yang, the harmonious balance of our energy has allowed us to amplify the best in each other and leverage our collective sixty-five years of experience. While our respective paths have had many similarities, our journeys have been unique, like those of the many women we interviewed and researched.
Raised in a progressive Mennonite home, Kimberly’s formative years juxtaposed traditional family values and her father’s encouragement to pursue education and career aspirations regardless of gender. She did just that with the support of her parents, who were the first in their community to marry in a dual ring ceremony. After graduating from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and later achieving an MBA from Pepperdine University, Kimberly continued to challenge gender boundaries. She found her passion for understanding and developing human potential.
The cofounder and cochairman of Talent Plus,® Kimberly has spent thirty-five years helping leaders achieve their highest potential through talent-based strategies and solutions. Although her work experience is almost entirely with Talent Plus,® based in Lincoln, Nebraska, her reach and impact are global. Working with a variety of companies around the world, she has dedicated her career to helping others realize their potential and create a leadership legacy.
While I was blessed with amazing parents, it was predominantly my mother who raised me. As a resilient woman who got her GED after leaving high school at seventeen to marry my nine- teen-year-old father and give birth to me, my mother set the tone for what was possible. A working mom, she owned and operated several businesses and earned her bachelor’s degree at age forty. Working hard and having aspirations as big as our talent was a constant theme of encouragement in our home.
Following my undergraduate degree in broadcasting and film, my initial dream of retiring Barbara Walters as a journalist was set aside when I fell in love with business, leadership, and social psychology—probably for the best, given that Barbara’s career carried on for another twenty-five years. Fortunately, my interests have been fulfilled throughout a thirty-year career spanning four states, five companies, multiple relocations, and various industries. Continued education was central to my intrinsic satisfaction and the best way to feed my aspirational appetite. The study of human behavior and seeing talent unleashed became my true north.
As you can see, Kimberly and I have had unique career routes, yet our life experiences have been richly filled with similar successes, failures, moments of pride, and moments of disappointment. Still, we could not be sure that our journey represented women at large. That led us to research the experiences of women through- out their mid-careers.
As a result, this book represents the research, expertise, and experiences that Kimberly and I bring to bear, the voices of nine incredible women whose stories are shared as reflections at the end of each chapter, and quotes and insights gathered from over two hundred women surveyed and thirty women interviewed. Not only did we find immense joy and inspiration in the stories of so many impressive women, but we also found great consistency among their life experiences despite their diverse backgrounds.
Empirical research, our qualitative interviews, and the study of the current literature were conclusive: as women, we experience common themes throughout our mid-career. The root cause of these similarities is collectively societal, self-induced, and habitual. We fill our days and nights doing for others and put off or fail to plan for what is Near or prepare for what is Next.
Owning and empowering self-agency means taking control of your path ahead. Instead of conforming to social norms or other people’s opinions and expectations, you take intentional action to achieve desired outcomes. We debunk the myth that putting your head down and working hard is the best way to realize your fullest potential. Instead, you are challenged to look forward with intentionality, action, and reflection.
As such, this book is intended to energize your self-agency by giving you the tools and the freedom to make room for yourself, bring forethought to your journey, and provide a road map to your Now, Near, Next. Throughout the book, we unpack the traps, norms, and burdens that women envelop. While we ground many of the barriers women face in research and experience, we focus on empowering you with the license and tools to reflect, challenge, and pivot.
While numerous credible resources are available to address several concepts in this book, our research revealed that there needs to be more attention paid to the unique challenges and opportunities women face in their mid-career. In three sections, we have outlined a practical approach to energizing your Now, Near, Next. Each section has three chapters, which end with a reflection and an action plan.
Section one, “Now—Energize Self-Agency,” is intended to set the table for the journey ahead. In these first three chapters, you are invited to let go of the guilt and regret that holds you back, identify your natural talents, and give yourself time and space to dream of what is Next. This section is vitally essential to a woman who needs permission, empowerment, encouragement, or a shove to invest in herself without guilt.
Section two, “Near—Ignite Intentionality,” moves to action. Chapters four through six reveal the importance of engaging the sup- port of others, proactively investing in professional development, and ensuring that your superpowers remain relevant. Your Near may be over six months or a two-year time frame. What is essential is that there is momentum forward and intentional growth.
Section three, “Next—Actualize Potential,” addresses spreading your wings, taking risks, and walking with confidence. A Next, by definition, has some elements of the unknown. Whether with your current organization, through a move to a new company, or in a transition to something completely new, chapters six through nine encourage you to gain a broad perspective, move forward with courage, and bolster resilience.
Throughout each chapter, I journey with you in what was, for me, real time. Given that it took six months to write the book, life and all of its ebbs and flows continued around me. As fate would have it, chapter nine went through a significant revision just as we were ready to send the manuscript to the publisher. It was this unexpected plot twist that deepened my perspective and conviction to encourage and equip mid-career women to put time and energy into intentional career planning.
As such, this book is designed to energize your journey toward your Next. Each chapter builds upon the former, and each section prepares you to move forward. As you read, take the time to reflect, act, and commit at whatever pace works for you. Whether you take it slow and implement one chapter at a time or read cover-to-cover and develop a comprehensive plan, the benefits are gained with momentum.
I am overzealous, eager to move to action, and occasionally impatient. For example, when we signed with Amplify Publishing Group, I downloaded TikTok for the first time, recorded a three- minute ad hoc video announcing our Now, Near, Next framework, and shared our excitement to shine a light for mid-career women. Boom, off to the races!
Kimberly, measured, diligent, and focused, followed my post with a gentle text message. She suggested waiting until we received our service mark registration to protect our branding before sharing our concepts with the world, particularly via TikTok. Hmm, details.
Fortunately, like yin and yang, the harmonious balance of our energy has allowed us to amplify the best in each other and leverage our collective sixty-five years of experience. While our respective paths have had many similarities, our journeys have been unique, like those of the many women we interviewed and researched.
Raised in a progressive Mennonite home, Kimberly’s formative years juxtaposed traditional family values and her father’s encouragement to pursue education and career aspirations regardless of gender. She did just that with the support of her parents, who were the first in their community to marry in a dual ring ceremony. After graduating from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and later achieving an MBA from Pepperdine University, Kimberly continued to challenge gender boundaries. She found her passion for understanding and developing human potential.
The cofounder and cochairman of Talent Plus,® Kimberly has spent thirty-five years helping leaders achieve their highest potential through talent-based strategies and solutions. Although her work experience is almost entirely with Talent Plus,® based in Lincoln, Nebraska, her reach and impact are global. Working with a variety of companies around the world, she has dedicated her career to helping others realize their potential and create a leadership legacy.
While I was blessed with amazing parents, it was predominantly my mother who raised me. As a resilient woman who got her GED after leaving high school at seventeen to marry my nine- teen-year-old father and give birth to me, my mother set the tone for what was possible. A working mom, she owned and operated several businesses and earned her bachelor’s degree at age forty. Working hard and having aspirations as big as our talent was a constant theme of encouragement in our home.
Following my undergraduate degree in broadcasting and film, my initial dream of retiring Barbara Walters as a journalist was set aside when I fell in love with business, leadership, and social psychology—probably for the best, given that Barbara’s career carried on for another twenty-five years. Fortunately, my interests have been fulfilled throughout a thirty-year career spanning four states, five companies, multiple relocations, and various industries. Continued education was central to my intrinsic satisfaction and the best way to feed my aspirational appetite. The study of human behavior and seeing talent unleashed became my true north.
As you can see, Kimberly and I have had unique career routes, yet our life experiences have been richly filled with similar successes, failures, moments of pride, and moments of disappointment. Still, we could not be sure that our journey represented women at large. That led us to research the experiences of women through- out their mid-careers.
As a result, this book represents the research, expertise, and experiences that Kimberly and I bring to bear, the voices of nine incredible women whose stories are shared as reflections at the end of each chapter, and quotes and insights gathered from over two hundred women surveyed and thirty women interviewed. Not only did we find immense joy and inspiration in the stories of so many impressive women, but we also found great consistency among their life experiences despite their diverse backgrounds.
Empirical research, our qualitative interviews, and the study of the current literature were conclusive: as women, we experience common themes throughout our mid-career. The root cause of these similarities is collectively societal, self-induced, and habitual. We fill our days and nights doing for others and put off or fail to plan for what is Near or prepare for what is Next.
Owning and empowering self-agency means taking control of your path ahead. Instead of conforming to social norms or other people’s opinions and expectations, you take intentional action to achieve desired outcomes. We debunk the myth that putting your head down and working hard is the best way to realize your fullest potential. Instead, you are challenged to look forward with intentionality, action, and reflection.
As such, this book is intended to energize your self-agency by giving you the tools and the freedom to make room for yourself, bring forethought to your journey, and provide a road map to your Now, Near, Next. Throughout the book, we unpack the traps, norms, and burdens that women envelop. While we ground many of the barriers women face in research and experience, we focus on empowering you with the license and tools to reflect, challenge, and pivot.
While numerous credible resources are available to address several concepts in this book, our research revealed that there needs to be more attention paid to the unique challenges and opportunities women face in their mid-career. In three sections, we have outlined a practical approach to energizing your Now, Near, Next. Each section has three chapters, which end with a reflection and an action plan.
Section one, “Now—Energize Self-Agency,” is intended to set the table for the journey ahead. In these first three chapters, you are invited to let go of the guilt and regret that holds you back, identify your natural talents, and give yourself time and space to dream of what is Next. This section is vitally essential to a woman who needs permission, empowerment, encouragement, or a shove to invest in herself without guilt.
Section two, “Near—Ignite Intentionality,” moves to action. Chapters four through six reveal the importance of engaging the sup- port of others, proactively investing in professional development, and ensuring that your superpowers remain relevant. Your Near may be over six months or a two-year time frame. What is essential is that there is momentum forward and intentional growth.
Section three, “Next—Actualize Potential,” addresses spreading your wings, taking risks, and walking with confidence. A Next, by definition, has some elements of the unknown. Whether with your current organization, through a move to a new company, or in a transition to something completely new, chapters six through nine encourage you to gain a broad perspective, move forward with courage, and bolster resilience.
Throughout each chapter, I journey with you in what was, for me, real time. Given that it took six months to write the book, life and all of its ebbs and flows continued around me. As fate would have it, chapter nine went through a significant revision just as we were ready to send the manuscript to the publisher. It was this unexpected plot twist that deepened my perspective and conviction to encourage and equip mid-career women to put time and energy into intentional career planning.
As such, this book is designed to energize your journey toward your Next. Each chapter builds upon the former, and each section prepares you to move forward. As you read, take the time to reflect, act, and commit at whatever pace works for you. Whether you take it slow and implement one chapter at a time or read cover-to-cover and develop a comprehensive plan, the benefits are gained with momentum.
Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, Ph.D., cofounder of Zeal of the Heel and founder of Bentzen Performance Partners, is a business executive, human capital strategist, author, and executive coach. Working from the time she was 14, her leadership journey began early. A working mom and breadwinner serving in predominantly male-led industries, throughout most of her 30-year career, she was the youngest and only female on the executive team. Navigating a progressive career as a chief executive in gaming, hospitality and healthcare, while raising two children and pursuing advanced degrees, Cynthia has experienced the joys and challenges of trying to “have it all.” With deep appreciation for those who shined a light for her, and as a social psychologist with a passion to unleash human potential, she feels a personal responsibility to help women claim their agency and amplify their possibilities. |
Photo Courtesy: Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer
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Kimberly Rath, MBA, is a bestselling author, cofounder of Zeal of the Heel, and cofounder and cochairman of Talent Plus.® An innovator and visionary, Kimberly has been at the forefront of thinking about talent her entire career, helping others discover and develop their unique strengths. Through her leadership at Talent Plus,® she has delivered tremendous outcomes for some of the world’s most well-known brands, including Estée Lauder, Ferragamo, Delta Airlines, UCLA Health, University of Kansas Health, The Ritz-Carlton, and KSL Resorts. Kimberly is passionate about giving back, sitting on several boards, and supporting various foundations and professional organizations. Kimberly is also the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of Business Success Secrets. |
Photo Courtesy: Kimberly Rath
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