What Does Impact Mean... Really?

_{Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash}

Written by Carley Keydel

I’ve been thinking about this for a minute. What does it really mean to “make an impact” at work? Let’s dive in.

The Way of Old

I’ve been in the workforce for going on 13 years now and I am extremely proud to say that in all of my working years, I’ve managed to consistently earn a reputation as a high performer, go-getter, and someone who consistently exceeds performance goals. This isn’t to brag, but rather to prove a point that we’ll come back to later.

In trying to maintain this reputation at the various organizations I’ve been at, it’s always boiled down to output. How many hours can I put in? What else can I take on? It’s been about trying to prove that I can be the one to always jump in, say yes, stay late, take on more than I can chew and still deliver.

Impact was about being useful to the organization, even if it meant sacrificing myself.

Several years ago, I was supporting a massive loyalty account, which included launching a new site on AEM (Adobe Experience Manager). I was the project manager on the account and I knew absolutely nothing about AEM but you can bet your ass I learned whatever I could. I established myself as a low-level developer and a semi decent content manager. Like many initiatives, the stakes were high (😂) and we were tight on resources. So, I volunteered to manage the content changes on top of everything else, which for several weeks were manual and required changing content at midnight. Again - manually. I don’t even remember why this was the case, but it makes me cringe thinking back on it.

Moving on.

There were at least 3 weeks in a row where I was up at night managing the changing content. Every. Single. Night. Weekends too. Given the system was new, we’d also run into issues so I’d end up spending hours troubleshooting and being concerned to not bother anyone unless absolutely necessary. This was before COVID, so on top of staying up for hours each night, I’d wake up and report to the office to keep things moving to then do it all over again.

I was exhausted. Next level tired. Queue long rant about burnout. But! I was making an impact! I was keeping things moving! The work was done and more kept coming. I got a shout out from a VP and a few extra high-fives. Does anyone remember that? Maybe.

I’ll be honest - I’ve still continued to work this way. There’s part of me that can’t turn it off. I love the hustle. But, I’ve realized that this version of impact is fragile and unsustainable. It relies on you constantly performing, constantly producing, and giving all of yourself to your job and leaving nothing left for yourself.

I’m nearing the end of my maternity leave and during this time, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want my life to look like when I go back to work. Do I want to climb the ladder and keep being the badass high performer I’ve always been? 100%. Do I want to do it the same way I’ve been doing it but now I have 2 kids and a completely different life? No.

In With the New

So, I’ve been thinking and yes, it sounds corny, but I’ve had en epiphany.

My impact hasn't solely been in the processes I’ve implemented, the CSAT scores, and whatever else I’ve produced - it’s also been in the relationships I’ve created with the people I work with and the clients I support. In reflecting on my career, I can honestly say that I’ve established strong relationships at every job I’ve been in.

No matter the environment, which having worked in the agency, client-facing, and hyper growth startup worlds is pretty much always stressful AF, I’ve had people say some pretty cool things about me - not just the work I’ve done.

I’m an advocate. A safe space. Someone they know will support them even if it means going against the grain. I’m a facilitator and mediator. I can make a difficult conversation easier. Most recently, I had one of my previous reports tell me out of the blue that to her, I exemplified servant leadership every day we worked together. I am someone people can rely on and trust.

These things? Now these feel like making an impact.

Funny enough, I recently wrote about the trait that the leaders I trusted most had in common and *spoiler alert* it’s that they make their team and colleagues feel safe. Why was it so easy for me to frame their impact on me in this way vs. the impact I have on others? Can’t the same apply to myself? Why yes. Yes it can.

Taking It Forward

I will never not strive to deliver high quality work. I will always aim for exceeding my goals. Those things won’t change because that’s who I am and I’m not going to redefine my identity to prove a point. But, in moving forward, I’m no longer holding myself to that being the only way to define my impact or my success.

And honestly? Nor should you.

Can you imagine if more of us felt comfortable leaning into our real strengths? Not just the ones that show up in a status report or deliverable, but the ones that make the room feel lighter, calmer, and safer?

Imagine if we gave ourselves permission to redefine the way we show up at work based on who we are, not just what we produce.

And trust me - I am not writing this to preach or to say I’ve magically figured it out because I definitely haven’t. I’m writing it because I’m actively trying to take my own advice based on my own experiences, and to acknowledge the parts of my work that don’t show up on paper/in performance reviews but matter just as much, if not more.

Personally, 2026 is going to be a big year, and I’m bringing this new definition of impact with me. Not perfectly; intentionally.