New Year’s & the Great Resignation

“Please accept my resignation. I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member.” - Groucho Marx

The New Year is here and with that goes a lot of decision making. People use this time of year to assess where they are in life. This is especially true when it comes to considering their career…

“Why waste time doing something you hate? Why keep doing this when you don’t feel fulfilled? Why deal with people, clients, colleagues, and bosses that don’t appreciate the work or the talent you bring?”

These are some of the questions people are asking.

In this new year, are you considering making a change? You are not alone. Currently there are more jobs available than people available to take those jobs. Several factors contribute to this, but a major one is called “The Great Resignation.”

People are walking away from their workplaces. Bosses are left shorthanded, companies can’t provide services needed, and employees are willing to drop benefits and salaries if they find their work isn’t fulfilling.

In short, people are tired of doing something unsatisfying.

WORKPLACE EXHAUSTION IS REAL
Last month I met with a faculty member at a university, and he capped it off perfectly: “Everyone is exhausted.”

·      The pandemic.

·      The political upheaval.

·      The violence.

·      The inability to know what to count on. 

In this climate, people are considering what is valuable, meaningful, and how they want to spend their lives.

…And the fact of the matter is people HATE their jobs…

I’ve gotten to meet with several people who are thinking about making a change. They are tired, want to do something creative, and don’t want to waste time anymore. Perhaps that’s you and you’re thinking about doing something new. You may be thinking, “I just can’t live like this anymore.” 

DISCERNMENT IS A VIRTUE
A virtue that good leaders and wise people possess is called DISCERNMENT. Before you storm into your boss’s office, slam down your resignation, and leave with your middle fingers in the air, take some time with a trusted friend or a quiet place with a notebook or journal and consider asking these questions. (Try to do this exercise with an open heart and an open mind).

·      What do I like most about my current work?

·      What do I hate most?

·      What do I have to offer to the team and organization I work for?

·      What have I learned from these years in this position?

·      In what area of my life am I most fulfilled?

·      What are the three or four things that others say I do well?

·      What do I feel freedom rather than guilt?

·      What brings me energy?

·      When have I had great success?

·      Who speaks the truth about me and knows me the best?

·      What gifts have others affirmed in me?

·      When have I failed and been okay with it?

·      What are the activities I do where I find I’m “in the zone?”

·      If I could only do one part of my current job, what would it be?

·      Over the last three jobs I’ve had, what was one lesson that I learned in each one?

·      What do I do that makes me feel alive?

·      What is the one thing I appreciate most about my current boss (remember, open mind!)?

·      What is one thing I’ve learned from them?

·      What scares me about changing what I’m doing or venturing out on my own?

·      What will I be sacrificing if I leave my current job?

·      What would I do if I knew it would be impossible to fail?

·      What would I do if it was a guarantee I could make a living from it?

·      When I think about my work, who do I imagine serving? 

ASSESS YOUR FEELINGS

·      How do you feel after thinking through these questions?

·      Do you have any idea what you will do next?

·      Do you have an idea (a product or service) that people are willing to pay for?

·      Can your idea start out as a side gig so it can be tested and tried before you quit your day job?

·      Can you build slowly, allowing your current gig to give the resources necessary to support your next gig?

·      Is it time to take your idea and try to make a living with it?

·      Do your friends and family agree with your decision, especially your life partner?

·      Does it make sense financially?

·      Are you ready to sacrifice the lifestyle you have to build the life you want?

If so, it’s time to go.

“Courage make be the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”

- Maya Angelou

(If you need help walking through these questions, that is what InTandemWorks offers. Check out www.InTandemWorks.com and sign up for a FREE one-hour consultation).