15 questions to ask before taking a stretch assignment

15 questions to ask before taking a stretch assignment15 questions to ask before taking a stretch assignmentStretch assignments are like the Instant Pot of career development. An intensely challenging, ambitious, go-big-or-go-home work project, they are a catalyst for rapid development of business acumen, technical expertise, and leadership skills. Theyre also great for building relationships with influential stakeholders, and exposing your skills, value, and work ethic to individuals outside of your core team. Sure, the pressure will be high, but it will get your career cooking. No other form of career developmentcomes close.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIf, like many of the women I speak to, your potential outpaces how others perceive you, acarefully chosen stretch assignmentcan close that gap. Its a way to take your budding strengths and aspirations, fortify them with measu rable successes that will make your organization sit up and pay attention.To better understand what motivates people to accept or reject such an opportunity, Selena Rezvani and I surveyed 1,549 U.S.-based professionals, inquiring about their experiences with sizing up stretch assignments and higher-level roles. Our findings were published in a report titledOut of the Comfort Zone How Women and Men Size up Stretch Assignments - and Why Leaders Should Care.What makes a stretch assignment appealing?Interestingly, women and men have similar criteria for saying yes to a stretch assignment. Top considerations were having enough personal influence and organizational kooperation to drive the project to successful completion.My readiness for the next assignment depends on making sure I have a blank check to make tough decisions, said one female leader.One early-career woman with a financial software company said having adequate support is a deciding factor. Otherwise, I wont take the assign ment since it may not come with the resources I would need to be successful, she wrote.Another highly-rankedcriteria was whether an assignment aligned with career goals. A woman working at the director level in a hospital asks Will it feel like play, feed my purpose, and allow me to grow in a meaningful way?What makes a stretch assignment a non-starter?Given previous research showing that morethan half of U.S. employees feel overworked or overwhelmed at least some of the time, it came as no surprise to discover that threat of overwork ranks highly as a red flag. It boils down whether I am able to balance my personal life with the next assignment, one entry-level man at an internet company told us. If it jeopardizes my personal time, then its not worth it. (Theres a reason one executive I interviewed jokingly referred to stretch assignments as night jobs.) The next most cited misgiving was lack of guidance from insiders or mentors.15 questions to ask before saying yes to a stretch as signmentWe asked respondents how they decide if a potential stretch is a good fit. Here are some key themes that emerged, along with specific questions they ask.Management rckendeckung Are there clear expectations? Is there support from senior leaders? Will I have the resources and authority to succeed?Work-Life Balance How does this impact my work-life balance? Will the time commitment mesh with my family responsibilities? Is it worth the amount of time it will take to be successful?New Challenges How challenging is the assignment and what will I learn? Is it personally challenging or more of the same? Will it require me to think on a deeper level or use my skill set in new ways?Purpose and PassionDoes it align with my personal mission? Does it truly spark my passion? How will it make a difference in the world?Future Prospects Does it align with my career aspirations? Is it going to take me where I ultimately want to go or is the detour worth it? How might the role open doors to ot her opportunities?Stretch assignments are proven career shortcuts- a way to rapidly reshape how others view you, so that their perceptions can more closely match your potential and aspirations. By asking the right questions, you can choose your next one well.This article originally appeared on Be Leaderly.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people