Stretch assignments: What if you’re more ready than you think?

A few months ago, I was speaking with a professional who had been offered the opportunity to lead a high-profile project. It would involve working with people from multiple departments, presenting updates to senior leaders, and taking responsibility for work that stretched well beyond their current role.  Their first reaction was not excitement.  It was hesitation.  “What if I don’t know enough?” they asked. “What if I make mistakes? What if I’m not ready?”

Those concerns are completely understandable. In fact, they are often the very reason a stretch assignment feels uncomfortable in the first place. By definition, these opportunities ask us to step beyond what we already know and do work we haven’t fully mastered.  Yet many successful careers are built on moments exactly like these.

The projects that help us grow are rarely the ones we can do with ease. More often, they are the assignments that challenge us to develop new skills, build new relationships, and gain confidence through experience. They expand our visibility, broaden our perspective, and help others see what we are capable of achieving.

Not all stretch assignments are created equal

Of course, not every opportunity is worth accepting. Some projects offer valuable learning and growth. Others simply add work without providing meaningful development. The key is learning how to recognize the difference.

In my latest column in The Globe & Mail, I explore how stretch assignments can accelerate your career, the common pitfalls to avoid, and three important questions to ask before saying yes.

Stretch assignments can be your career superpower if you use them wisely

Have you ever accepted a stretch assignment that helped you grow professionally? What made the experience valuable? Conversely, have you ever accepted an opportunity that turned out to be more burden than benefit?  Please share your experiences and insights so we can all learn together. Add your comment below.