Patty Azzarello opens by arguing that sustained career success and continued advancement requires deliberate strategic repositioning at key career junctures, rather than assuming continued success in one role automatically translates into readiness for subsequent advancement.

Why this deliberate repositioning framing matters:

• Many professionals assume continued excellent performance in a current role automatically qualifies them for subsequent advancement, when Azzarello argues genuine advancement requires deliberate strategic repositioning specifically preparing for the next career stage
• This framing provides more nuanced guidance than assuming purely continued excellent current performance alone drives sustained career advancement
• This opening establishes the book's foundational premise, motivating its subsequent detailed examination of specific repositioning strategies

This opening establishes the book's foundational premise regarding sustained career success requiring deliberate strategic repositioning at key career junctures, beyond merely continued current-role excellence.