Have the guts to make career decisions that suit you – not someone else!

From time to time I meet an executive who’s ended up in the wrong job. Sometimes, it’s a temporary blip and they just need to sit tight. The chessboard pieces move quickly; if they inhabit a disliked role for 12 or 18 months, over a career lifetime that’s no big deal. But, in some cases, the ‘misfit’ issue runs deeper. Punching in more time isn’t always the right solution.

Not-For-Profit: Over 20+ years, I’ve worked with a range of not-for-profit organizations. For a host of reasons (detailed in earlier blogs), this sector poses several unique managerial challenges. Helping staff to understand that ‘not-for-profit’ ≠ ‘we are for losses’ is often the starting point. In some cases, the CEO is the founder of the organization. In other cases, the CEO is attracted to the sector because they want to ‘give something back.’ But, being happy in a job requires more than a noble cause. One CEO described this prosaically: “Having a great mission doesn’t trump all the other shit I have to put up with.”

The Dilemma: Let’s assume that you are a senior executive in a not-for-profit organization. You have become publicly identified with the goals of the organization. You’ve spent a lot of time fundraising, selling the message externally in the media, and meeting clients to demonstrate your support. But you are ‘unfulfilled’ or secretly have a grá for some other line of work. Yet, you’ve become so identified with the organization that you feel stuck, almost as if your personality and your role have morphed into a single entity. I am personally aware of two founders of not-for-profit organizations who suffered breakdowns as a result of being caught in this specific dilemma (one recently went public in an autobiography which described months when she literally could not get out of bed). They both wanted to move on but felt trapped.

Medical Neighbours: It’s not exclusive to not-for-profits. Many years ago, I worked in a medium-sized country town. In a new housing development, people made a lot of effort to get to know their neighbours. 3 of the guys on the estate where I lived were Medical Doctors. When we’d meet, 2 of them would typically talk about patients, medicine and healthcare. The other one would invariably swing the conversation around to computers (his key interest). He plied me with questions about the computers in the pharmaceutical plant where I was worked (it was generally a short conversation – based on my lack of knowledge). At an earlier point that guy, the brightest boy in his class, got pushed into studying medicine and became a GP because of his family’s need to secure a high status occupation. As about 50% of a GP’s role is actually counseling, this intelligent but introverted, shy man, ended up in the wrong job with no obvious exit strategy. He should have moved on but he felt trapped.

Dublin Party: Roll the clock forward a number years. I’m at a party in Dublin, conducting a Bacardi Summit i.e. ‘solving the problems of the world at 2 am.’ A woman I’d never met before told me that her partner was hugely committed to a house renovation project in Co. Clare. Restoring its original features had become his life’s work. I was fascinated and somewhat envious. When she asked: “would you like to do something similar?” I made a range of excuses about why it wouldn’t work, pleading busyness (forgetting to mention the small matter of a complete absence of D.I.Y. skills). Then the lady said: “You don’t have your life sorted, do you?” In the cold light of day, that comment seems smart-assed, a put-down. But it was simply a question and a solid one at that. It’s a question we all need to answer. Do you have your life sorted? A couple of days after that party, I made a significant career changing decision.

The Fear: Many executives worry about leaving an organization where they’ve huge service on the clock or have made a strong personal commitment. They ask: “what will happen to the organization if I move on?” As pushback, I use the following metaphor: the impact of their resignation will be like taking their hand out of a bucket of water and looking back in to see the space left behind!

Suit Yourself: When it comes to deciding the best job, suit yourself. Do everyone a favour and chase down a role that you really want. For sure, the announcement that you are going will be a 5-minute conversation, a storm in a thimble. Then people will quickly revert to worrying about their own lives as you get on with yours. All other things being equal, the right time to leave your job is when you stop enjoying it.

The only thing you are trapped into is the mistaken belief that you don’t have a choice.

Paul

PS Lighter Notes: I was driving this morning when I saw an AA van parked up on the hard shoulder. The driver was sobbing uncontrollably and looked really miserable. I thought to myself ‘that guy’s heading for a breakdown.’ 



Mathematically Minded? Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarves are not Happy.

Why do people leave their jobs?

Oil rig worker: “It was boring”

Refuse collector: “That job was rubbish”

Medical Doctor: “I’m sick of it”

Gastroenterologist: “Couldn’t stomach it”

Cardiologist: “My heart wasn’t in it”

Clairvoyant: “I couldn’t see any future in it”

Car mechanic: “I jacked up”

Meteorologist: “Too unpredictable, so I stormed out”

Paratrooper: “Got the push”

Optician: “Didn’t see eye to eye with clients”

Caged bird breeder: “Got caught with my hand in the Trill”

Historical Note: I used to be addicted to swimming, but I’ve been dry now for over 6 years!

Check our website http://www.tandemconsulting.ie or call 087 2439019 for an informal discussion about executive or organization development.