From Overlooked to In Charge: My Rise Through Workplace Adversity

There was a time when I almost walked away.

Not just from a job, but from the entire career I had worked so hard to build.

I was three years into a role as a marketing coordinator at a mid-sized tech company. When I started, I was full of ideas and ambition. I believed if I worked hard, contributed meaningfully, and stayed consistent, recognition and opportunity would follow.

But reality had other plans.

My ideas were often brushed aside in meetings. I was spoken over by louder voices—usually male colleagues—and given administrative tasks far below my skill level. When a project succeeded, someone else presented it. When something went wrong, somehow my name was attached.

I watched peers get promoted, people I had trained rise ahead of me. I told myself to be patient. To wait my turn.

But waiting turned into years. And patience turned into resentment.

One afternoon, after being passed over—again—for a team lead position I was more than qualified for, I sat in my car in the parking lot and cried. It wasn’t just the disappointment. It was the growing feeling that maybe I wasn’t leadership material.

Maybe I just didn’t have "it."

But that breakdown became my turning point.

I realized I had two choices: walk away and start over, or stay and change how I showed up. Not for them. For me.

I began to treat myself like the leader I wanted to become.

I enrolled in an online leadership development course. I started reading books on communication, influence, and emotional intelligence. I showed up early, asked smarter questions, and began mentoring new hires—even when it wasn’t part of my job.

Most importantly, I stopped waiting for permission.

Instead of asking, "Can I take on this project?" I began saying, "Here’s the plan I developed—let me know how you'd like to move forward."

I created an internal newsletter to share team wins and insights, elevating not only my own voice but others'. I started presenting data-backed proposals directly to senior management, always professionally and with clarity.

And people started to notice.

But not everyone applauded the change.

One colleague accused me of being "too ambitious." Another said I was trying too hard to get attention. At one point, someone even implied that I was "only being nice to people because I wanted something."

It stung. But I reminded myself: if I let criticism stop me now, I’d be back in that car, crying in frustration.

So I kept going.

A few months later, a crisis hit our department. Two team leads left unexpectedly. Morale dropped. Deadlines loomed. There was confusion, silence, and fear.

That’s when I stepped up.

I coordinated project updates. Set up team check-ins. Advocated for team support to upper management. I wasn’t doing it for a title—I was doing it because it needed to be done.

By the time the dust settled, the VP called me into his office. "We noticed how you took initiative," he said. "Would you be open to stepping into a leadership role officially?"

I said yes.

The transition wasn’t easy. Leading people who once saw me as a peer brought its own challenges. But I led with empathy, consistency, and authenticity.

I made space for voices that had once been drowned out—including mine. I gave credit generously. I owned mistakes publicly. I made it safe for others to grow.

Looking back, the adversity I faced wasn’t fair. But it was formative.

It taught me resilience. Strategy. Self-respect.

It taught me that leadership isn’t about waiting to be chosen.

It’s about choosing yourself.

Moral of the Story:

Workplace adversity can either break your spirit or build your strength.

The choice is yours.

Don’t wait to be picked. Lead yourself first, and the rest will follow.

Because sometimes, the door you’re waiting to be opened... is one you were meant to build yourself.

Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi