Today, I paused for a moment, not because I had the time, but because I needed to reflect. This new role as a Sourcing Consultant has been more than a career shift; it’s been a crash course in navigating chaos with purpose.
The first few weeks (okay, months) were overwhelming in ways I didn’t expect. Time management? I thought I had that mastered. But this role demands more than a calendar and a to-do list. It demands agility, switching between internal members who need support, business partners who need engagement, and tasks that appear out of nowhere and shout “urgent” in bold letters. I constantly feel like I’m behind, even when I’m sprinting.
Learning expectations have been another mountain to climb. There’s no “beginner” version of this work; it’s trial by fire. Understanding the business, building credibility, learning the platforms, and mastering the processes… it’s a full plate, and sometimes I don’t even know what’s on it until it’s already in front of me. Every system I touch feels like a new language. Every process I follow uncovers another one I didn’t know existed.
And then there are the metrics. The numbers don’t lie, but sometimes they don’t tell the whole story either. It’s hard to measure the value of a relationship that’s just starting, or the hours it takes to dig into a contract and understand the fine print. Still, those numbers are looming targets to hit, dashboards to update, progress to prove.
But in the struggle, there’s growth. I’ve had moments where I felt lost… and then found clarity through a good question, a helpful colleague, or simply figuring something out the hard way. I’m learning to give myself grace, to acknowledge the challenge without letting it defeat me. I’m also realizing that making inroads takes time. People don’t trust you because of your title, they trust you because you show up, you listen, and you follow through. You show your value in those conversations, you earn trust.
Some days feel like a win. Others feel like survival. But I know this: I’m in it. I’m learning. I’m building something that will eventually feel solid under my feet and with everything that I am, I will contribute to this team and overall organization the value I know I am ultimately capable of showcasing.
And for now, that’s enough.
