Better the devil you know? Why safe is not always safe
Better the devil you know, right? No, not right - or at least not always. One piece of feedback I hear from my coaching clients time and again is, “I wish I hadn’t waited for so long” and “I wish I had started sooner.” Quite often, the creeping realisation that all is not well at work isn’t addressed but is consciously ignored, hoping it’ll get better. This is despite plenty of warning signs.
So, what are such warning signs that you should pay attention to, and what actions should be taken?
There are likely to be very few things that mean that there’s an immediate danger. Rather, there’s a scale of increasing concern and, therefore, increasing urgency to take action.
Working out which red flags shouldn’t be ignored
What does a great work environment look like for you?
I’d suggest that you draw up a list of criteria for what makes for a great environment on your own terms. These might include:
the calibre of the people
attitude and behaviour
the physical work environment
the quality of leadership and management
workload management
work/life balance
opportunities for training and development
the firm/team’s strategy in changing market conditions
You might even write a brief description for each one to add some detail.
Complete your own annual review
Every year, and not necessarily at year-end, do a little audit to score how well each criterion is being fulfilled. This may be an uncomfortable process because if the scores are low or trending lower, you might have to take action. This is always better than burying your head in the sand before it’s too late.
Major events
If any of the following happen between your annual reviews, I’d suggest that you pay attention and begin to consider what the appropriate response is:
Change in culture:
A change in leadership, or even the arrival of a new team member, can lead to a significant shift in the culture of a firm, department, or team. If that cultural shift is not positive, it’s probably a red flag.
Change in ownership of the firm:
A coaching client of mine was in a firm that was acquired. Initially, all was well. He was called into the office of his new boss (from the new firm). Until then, they’d had a great relationship; however, on this occasion her demeanour had changed completely, and he was told that he was being let go. No reasons were given. A change in ownership means that things will change, for good or ill. It might take some time for things to play out, but the alarm bells should be ringing.
Key person moving
I have a client who was hired into the firm to take on a special project that was being driven forward by that key person. The project wasn’t core to the business, but my coaching client took the view that he had sufficient top cover from a senior person who had sufficient clout. He’d be looked after. When that key person left for another role, my client was left exposed and, while he was not let go — which was very difficult and expensive in that country — he was sidelined and his career progression slowed.
So what should you do if you see any of these warning signs?
Acknowledge that something is worth investigating, considering, and validating.
Decide on the level of urgency required.
Be clear about what specifically would trigger a job exploration plan or the execution of the job search plan you have already created and filed as your "Plan B".
What could you be doing now?
Create that Plan B so that you know exactly what you will do, should you decide to pull the trigger. Be on the front foot.
Have your CV updated and your LinkedIn profile optimised.
Be able to articulate in a fluent and compelling manner the value that you can bring to an organisation, with some convincing examples.
Steadily engage in networking activities, just 5 or 10 minutes a day, adding value to others in a variety of ways.
Be actively reading the market - who is on the move, how are competitors reshaping their businesses, what are the levels of comp? These are all great questions to be asking and finding answers to.
Hoping that negative changes will go away and that everything is always going to be okay isn’t the way to proactively manage and optimise a career. Knowing what to watch out for, keeping your eyes open, and being ready to take the appropriate action is. Without being obsessive and distracted away from your main focus - doing your day job and adding tremendous levels of value - i't’s important not to assume that ‘safe is always safe’. If you feel like the warning signs are there that you should be contemplating a career move, let’s talk. Use this link to book a free 15-minute introductory Coaching Call.