Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  November 15, 2022

What Serena Williams Teaches Us About Making Big Changes

You don’t have to be a tennis fan to learn from legend Serena Williams’ big transition from tennis legend to venture capitalist.

Announcing big transitions is a delicate balance. You want to shed your previous efforts without dropping off the radar. Williams does an excellent job of repositioning her role while still being relevant to popular culture. Here are two lessons that we can take from her media interviews about her next big adventure:

• Redefine the journey. During an interview she did with Vogue, Williams said she isn’t leaving tennis. She’s just changing her focus. Why this works: It keeps her relevant by adjusting the spotlight. She’s still the one to watch, just in a different field. Williams also keeps the door open with sports analysis and media opportunities.

• Highlight the similarities. In a Biz Journal interview, Williams makes two important points: 1) she’s not a newbie in this area, and 2) her competitive mindset that made her a tennis champ will drive her success here. By focusing on the similarities, she downplays the big shift and makes the case for her future achievement in the new arena.

Listen: 2 Messages That Define Your Big Change

What these strategies have in common: They downplay the drama and leverage the attention Williams has. While she won’t compete on the courts anymore, we’re still fascinated by what cool things she does next.

As you make big changes for 2023, consider how you communicate your plans to the marketplace. You want the attention and momentum to continue, and not be seen as irrelevant because of what you leave behind.

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