21 hours ago
Your career playbook is outdated — and that's good
Remember when career success was defined by a corner office, a prestigious title and 25 years of loyalty?
Not anymore.
Today, the most valuable corporate leaders are not the ones who have followed a straight path. They are the ones who have adapted, reinvented themselves and dared to think beyond their job descriptions.
Whether you are 35 and managing a regional team or 62 and chairing your third board, the rules have changed. That is exactly where your opportunity lies.
From Linear Growth to Layered Growth
In the old playbook, career growth was linear. Step up, move up, stay up. But in today's world, the most successful professionals are building layered growth. They are combining:
Corporate experience with entrepreneurial thinking;
Digital skills with human insight;
Local context with global foresight.
Consider these examples:
A former fast-moving consumer goods director in Thailand is now leading sustainability transformation in a Southeast Asian unicorn.
A retired pharma executive is building a leadership accelerator for Thai family businesses.
A mid-level expat manager has launched an AI side venture with his Thai team after hours.
They did not switch lanes. They expanded their bandwidth.
Why Middle Managers Hold the Real Power Now
Middle managers are no longer just execution arms. They are:
Translators of strategy
Enablers of change
Carriers of culture.
In times of uncertainty, they serve as the bridge between aspiration and activation. And yet, many feel stuck. Not junior enough to experiment. Not senior enough to disrupt.
But that mindset is exactly what needs to change.
This is the time to lead with an entrepreneurial spirit inside your organisation.
Test ideas within your company just as you would outside it. Think like a founder while wearing the badge of a leader.
Leadership Is No Longer Tied to Age or Hierarchy
Some of the most courageous corporate decisions today are being made by:
A 28-year-old strategy analyst challenging legacy KPIs;
A 55-year-old chief human resources officer reimagining talent based on adaptability, not tenure;
A 63-year-old chairman turning ESG from a compliance checklist into a brand advantage.
It is not about climbing anymore. It is about contributing deeply, wisely and boldly.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you are a corporate executive: Embrace a hybrid mindset. Be both an operator and a visionary.
If you are mid-career: Do not wait for permission. Propose that pilot project. Initiate that cross-border idea. Lead that taskforce.
If you are senior and seasoned: Become a mentor for reinvention. Your legacy lies not only in what you have built, but in how you inspire others to build differently.
Final Thought
The most powerful leaders today are not just navigating change. They are owning it and helping others rise with them.
Thailand is becoming a launchpad for corporate reinvention. Let your next chapter be your boldest yet.
Arinya Talerngsri is Senior Vice President, Local Partner and Managing Director at BTS Thailand (formerly SEAC), part of the BTS Group, a leading global strategy implementation firm. She is passionate about revolutionising education and creating opportunities for Thais and people worldwide. Executives and organisations looking to collaborate or learn more about leadership development, talent development, succession planning and organisational transformation can contact her directly at or visit her LinkedIn profile.
