On this Ask Katrina, the question is,
“Should I stay with my current company Katrina, or should I move on to something else?”
Well, we just watched the Great Resignation happen throughout COVID.
So we know that a lot of people made the decision to go versus stay.
We also see right now that the individuals who participated in the Great Resignation are now calling their actions “the Great Regret” because they are saying they regret making the transition from one company to the next.
So the question isn’t should you stay or should you go.
The ultimate question is, why are you questioning a change in the first place?
Is something happening that is causing you to doubt your current company/position?
Are you being held back professionally?
Is there something happening that goes against who you are at your core? Maybe there are some events that are happening in the organization that you do not agree with?
If you’re being held back, if you’re not able to use your gifts, if something’s happening, that doesn’t align with you as a person, or let’s say you’re seeing the writing on the wall, and you don’t think that the organization is going to be around in a year or two; those are great, logical examples of why you would probably consider leaving.
Now, are those the only reasons?
No, of course not. But those would be very valid reasons why you should be asking yourself, should I stay or go?
If you’re not being developed professionally, if you’re unable to use your gifts, then you’re stagnant, you’re frozen. Everything that we’re doing throughout life is based upon our ability to grow and be in situations that allow us to grow.
Realize that the majority of the world is focused on an endpoint. Remember this, the endpoint of life is what? It’s death.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not running as fast as I can to get there. So really, the focus of life is not an endpoint but instead, progress.
When we’re not progressing, when we’re not growing, we’re stagnant. And that almost feels like death. That’s why you may be feeling like it’s the death of your career, so to speak. If you’re not growing, if your career is not progressing, and if you’re not able to use your gifts, then I would encourage you to look around for something else.
Just look, don’t actually make the decision to go but allow yourself to look around. See what’s happening out in the world, in your industry, and in your space, that would allow you to move forward and grow.
Before you start looking externally, I would encourage you to look internally. It could very well be your current direct leader that is putting you in a position where you feel as though you’re not growing. That doesn’t mean you leave the organization, you simply transition to another team.
The point is that when you start looking, look everywhere!
Stay or Go: The 3 Steps to Avoiding Regret
Here are the 3 steps to help you decide to stay or go:
1. Seek to understand why you’re assessing your current role. What is your motivating factor for looking around at another position? Again, if it’s a lack of growth, a lack of the ability to use your personal talents, or something is seriously happening in the organization that’s putting the organization at risk, or it just doesn’t align with who you are as a person; all of those reasons are very valid reasons suggesting that you should look around.
These specific points will ensure you differentiate your desire to move around between boredom and truly needing a change.
What I’m teaching you to do right now is to truly understand your reason behind your question. Why do you want to look around? What’s the intention? Is it due to professional growth or a simple desire for more money for example?
The 3 fundamental reasons (growth, gifts, company issues) I have shared with you are all reasons that are beyond safe and that will typically lead to a situation without regrets.
Anytime we’re chasing money, anytime we’re chasing a title, anytime we’re chasing and we don’t do our research, we are at risk of regretting our decisions.
The decisions we make must be the right fit that fits you at your core, it must support you and help you grow. The decisions you make must also allow you to use your gifts and talents.
If you decide to leave for a reason outside of one of those 3, maybe it is money, maybe it is a title, then you must ensure that getting more money and a more significant title coincides with personal growth, your core values, and a stable environment.
If the new role does not allow for that, then you’re probably going to have regrets.
2. We just wrapped up this point which is: ensure the reason for a change hits one of the core 3 reasons (growth, core values, stability). You can have more reasons, but you must have at least one of those 3 reasons in the mix or there is a high likelihood of regret in your future.
3. Now look internally within your current organization and look externally to see where opportunities exist.
If you look and you decide to make a shift, make sure that wherever you go that the move helps you grow, lets you use your gifts and talents, and then aligns with you as the person that you are. If you can do those things, then no matter where you land, you should get what you need out of the move.
If you need some additional support when it comes to executive success, schedule a 30-minute call with the Legend Leaders team and let us support you. Schedule your call HERE.