DON'T GET COMPROMISED BY INCOMPETENCE

Volume #45 - December 2005

As is usually the case, I get prompted to write about situations and challenges that my clients face. This past year a number of them have made career changes or switched companies. These decisions are never easy and call for a lot of thought. The question, "How do I know when it¹s time to go?" is a big one.

If you are grappling with a decision about making some type of career change, here are some questions to ask yourself to guide you through the process.

1. How happy am I working in this industry? How happy am I working at this company? How happy am I working in this particular function? What is making you think about change? You need to pinpoint your level of happiness. What is blocking you from feeling good about work? Who or what is getting to you? You might discover that you like your industry and your function, but not the particular culture of your present company. Or you might discover that you like your company, but the particular kind of work you¹re presently doing isn¹t challenging you enough or isn¹t suited to you in some way. Or you might find that, except for your boss, you like everything about your work and your company.

If you discover that the source of your discontent is your function, begin to investigate other areas and develop skills by taking courses, attending conferences, and talking to people with expertise in the functional area of your interest. If you find that your functional work is just right for you but you want to use your expertise in another industry, learn everything you can about the new industry, the players, the market and the language, and learn how to sell people on the ways in which your skills and values can be easily transitioned.

If it's your company that seems to be causing you distress, identify precisely what it is you don¹t like and what qualities you want in your next place of employment. When I hear that people are unhappy with their company, I immediately begin to examine and compare their values to the organization¹s values to see if there is what I call a "values disconnect." I¹ve found that this disconnect often begins to show up when people hit their early 40s. It¹s as though a switch gets flipped and people, particularly women, start asking themselves if they¹re doing work they really value. I believe this is one of the reasons we don¹t have more women at the very top of corporations: at the time when they need to dig in their heels to make that final push up the chain (most CEOs are in their 50s), women decide the price is too high and they no longer see the value in the game. So, if you¹re not happy with your company find out why. If making a change will make you significantly happier, then it¹s time to go.

If the issue is your boss (I've written about bosses from hell in the past), make sure that the first thing you do is examine your own behavior. What role might you be playing in contributing to the discordant situation? How are your actions feeding the flames of your discontent? What do you need to do differently? Have you have been assertive and addressed the issues in a clear, direct and appropriate way? If you have changed your behavior to the best of your ability to accommodate your boss and it still isn¹t working, if you have looked at ways to get repositioned in the organization and have sought counsel from other senior people without success, and if your position requires you to be with your present boss for a long time and your stress is extreme and debilitating, then it¹s time to go.

2. What have I learned from this company? Examine what you¹ve learned and how the company has supported you in your learning. Usually people find that a company has given them something ‹ either helped them to hone functional skills or helped them develop their leadership or given them greater knowledge about the industry and the market. Acknowledging what you have learned while working in a company, helps you to zone in on what you want to learn next. What haven¹t you learned? Is there an opportunity in your present company to acquire this learning and move to the next step in your career? Sometimes the size of a company can be a constraint: companies that are small only have so many positions available and career growth can be limited. Focusing on what you¹ve learned can be especially helpful if you have begun to develop negative feelings about the company. Negative feelings can be an indication that in some way you have outgrown the company. You¹ve learned good things from working there, but it no longer provides the kind of learning environment that you need or the growth opportunities you want. This doesn¹t necessarily mean there¹s something wrong with the company, but that it simply can¹t fulfill your future requirements.

3. How am I perceived? If you are perceived in a negative light and you can¹t shake that perception, you can have an uphill battle in front of you. Sometimes, negative perceptions, even if they aren¹t accurate and are based on some misunderstanding, can stick like glue. It takes an enormous amount of energy to change perceptions particularly if they are held by a large group of people or by people in senior management. You need to be aware of how you are perceived. This is one benefit of a 360 Feedback Process: it helps to clarify perceptions and provides a picture of how others see you. If you have monitored your behavior and changed whatever actions were supporting the negative perception and you are still not successful in altering the way people view you, it might be time to leave. It can be easier and healthier for you to start over fresh in a new place. With heightened awareness about how to project the image you want people to have of you, and the opportunity to show your strengths to a new group of people, you¹ll have a greater chance of achieving your goals and feeling happy and fulfilled.

If you find the answers to these questions are pointing you in the direction of leaving your company, make an exit plan. Know what it is you want. Try not to leave one job unless you have another job, and don¹t leave until you have enough money to carry you for at least six months. The most stressful place to be in is out of work without money to support yourself. So make sure you have a plan and a financial safety net. Don¹t make rash or emotional decisions. Do your homework. Stay emotionally grounded and continue to do your present job well. Change can be difficult. Leaving a job, even one that makes you unhappy, carries with it feelings of loss. Acknowledge and honor your fears and your feelings. But don¹t let your fear get in the way of leaving when it¹s time to go.

Copy © 2005 Virginia O'Brien All s Reserved

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