About three years ago, I wrote to the CEOs and their companies and shared with them 3 reasons why top talent was (and continues to be) leaving out the door quicker than they could break another promise. Today, however, I will address you: Talented professionals who are eager to learn, grow, make a difference, and excel at what they do best:
My dear unicorns [talented professionals], in case you haven’t heard this in a while: You are worthy. You are an exceptional human being with the unique skills and experience that you have honed over time. These skills are valuable to the company you work for—that’s why they hire you—and, believe me, they will be extremely valuable to any competitor out there.
As a talented professional, you’ve done your homework: you’ve studied the books, put your knowledge into practice, and sharpened your craft like a samurai sword. Companies should appreciate it, but that’s not always the case. My agenda today is to help you identify the three main reasons why you should leave your employer.
Reason #1 — No Means
For any professional to thrive, not only top-talented ones, they’ll need a suite of tools, training, frameworks, and self-agency to do so. These are what I call means; without them, the dreams of being a game changer will be diminished, and your career will wither.
Here are some examples of how companies are not providing you with the means to be successful:
If the company you are working for falls into any of these three pitfalls—or worse, all of them—please leave.
Reason #2 — No Motives
Before we talk about motives, it’s important to understand the difference between motivation and motives.
Motivation is the force that pushes you to do something or to create something; it’s like your drive, enthusiasm, or passion to be better, to outperform others, and to grow your career. Having and finding that motivation, as a professional, is your responsibility.
Motives, on the other hand, are the reasons why you want to do those things while working at a particular company. Whether it is for the learning experience, the great culture, amazing management, or even better, the compelling vision of the company makes you feel part of something bigger, and it’s a perfect fit for you.
The truth is, being part of a company that does not provide you with the right motives or a company that changes its vision frequently will harm your ability to flourish and thrive as the unique, resourceful, and talented professional you are or will become.
Reason #3 — No Opportunities
When you were hired, you were promised several things, some of which might sound as familiar as a decent salary, a great workplace culture, bonuses, and opportunities to grow, both in the workplace and professionally.
It has to be carefully designed and implemented with intent. It also has to be realistic and attainable; perhaps the company you work for now will only give you that raise or bonus after you’ve gotten ten certifications, two masters, and one Ph.D. within the first three months of employment.
Finale
Funny enough, these three things that your company is not providing you with are part of the MMO (Motives, Means, Opportunity) framework. This is the same framework police departments use when they want to find a prime suspect and, most likely, a guilty person.
Companies, on the other hand, deprive you of these three things when they just want to find a subjugated, guilty professional on which to pin all their crimes.
Here’s a piece of advice for all the unicorns out there suffering from the wrongdoing of companies:
#Worklifebalance #Quitting #Talent #Careerchange #Courage
