I’m in my mid-40s and recently made a major pivot. For the last 6 years, I was in a comfortable "internal tech" role where I was honestly coasting—working maybe 3 hours a day with zero growth.
To escape stagnation and the threat of AI, I leveraged a relationship with a senior director to land a new role: Leading a team of 6 Business Analysts.
The Reality Check:
The Knowledge Gap: I moved from a tech-heavy role to a finance-heavy one. I’ve realized I only know about 30% of the products; the other 70% is complex financial modeling I’ve always struggled with.
Zero Management Experience: I’ve been an individual contributor (IC) my whole life. In July, I officially take over the team.
The "Plan B" Threat: My direct boss was skeptical of my hiring. He recently told me I have six months to prove myself, or they move to "Plan B", which I'm not sure what that is but most likely it would mean that I would go back to being an IC
I moved for the right reasons (growth, job security, leadership experience), but now the "imposter syndrome" is hitting hard. I’m staring down a massive learning curve in a technical field I find difficult, while learning to manage people for the first time under a skeptical boss.
Has anyone else made a massive "leap of faith" pivot like this in their 40s? How do you rapidly bridge the gap while managing a team that likely knows more than you do?
Anyway I can leverage a very good relationship with my boss' boss who got me this role and has these plans for me?