Next Move, Best Move Book Summary - Next Move, Best Move Book explained in key points
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Next Move, Best Move summary

Kimberly Brown

Transitioning Into a Career You'll Love

4.5 (26 ratings)
14 mins

Brief summary

Next Move, Best Move guides readers through mindful career planning, aligning professional strengths with opportunities. Kimberly Brown provides actionable advice for leveraging experiences to strategically advance towards fulfilling and successful career trajectories.

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    Next Move, Best Move
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    Move 1: Review

    Many people leap straight to new goals and bigger responsibilities without taking stock of what they’ve already learned about themselves, their work style, and the environments in which they thrive. But it’s difficult to pave a truly fulfilling path forward if you’re not fully aware of your unique gifts and how to leverage them. Acknowledging key skills, lessons learned from previous roles, and the meaningful connections formed along the way makes it far easier to chart a course ahead that aligns with your deepest aspirations.

    A simple but illuminating exercise is to create a detailed record of every position you’ve held, from your first internship to your current job. Next to each role, jot down the skills you developed and highlight which ones you love using and which you’d happily leave behind. Honoring all the ways you’ve grown lets you focus on tasks that energize you and clarifies where you might need to deepen your knowledge. The result is a clearer picture of the valuable, transferable strengths that shape your contribution to any role. These insights also empower you to talk openly about what you bring to the table, reframing self-promotion as communication of your value-adds rather than the uncomfortable practice it otherwise can be.

    For those with an eye toward senior roles, looking at leadership as a privilege rather than simply the next rung on the ladder will set the tone for intentional growth. Leading people isn’t about handing out tasks and scoring quick wins; it’s about carefully nurturing others’ potential while staying true to your own values. 

    This approach means staying curious about how you can manage up – strategically guiding your relationship with those above you – just as much as you manage down. Asking questions like, “Which skills should I strengthen?” or “Which relationships might accelerate my development?” ensures you’re making the most of the expertise around you. Learning to advocate for your needs also boosts your ability to lead with empathy and vision, making it more likely you’ll earn trust and foster collaboration within any team you manage.

    Remember, every career is a sum of its experiences, and each new position emerges, in part, from what came before. The more cognizant you are of how your past informs your present, the easier it will be to steer yourself toward opportunities that support your deepest aspirations. 

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    What is Next Move, Best Move about?

    Next Move, Best Move (2021) is a practical guide for professionals who want to carve out a rich and rewarding career – not just a string of jobs. It emphasizes understanding your past and present to inform your future, navigating transitions strategically and intentionally, and playing the long game for lasting success.  

    Who should read Next Move, Best Move?

    • Recent graduates exploring workplace opportunities
    • Mid-career professionals seeking career advancement or transition
    • Anyone wanting to build a stronger professional brand

    About the Author

    Kimberly Brown is a career and leadership development expert recognized for her thought leadership in career strategy, intentional personal branding, and empowerment for historically underrepresented communities. Brown is also the founder of Brown Leadership and the host of the Your Next Move podcast. 

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