034 Three decisions to make before you leave your job

You may be ready to leave your job. Before you do, there are three decisions that can make a big difference.

This episode’s Inspire Me quote is from Viktor Frankl:

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

The average person will have between 7-11 job changes in their career. How you leave may be even more important than where you’re going. There are three decisions that can help you make the very best of any job transition:

1. Leave for a pursuit, not for an escape. Toxic jobs can take their toll, but don’t leave just to escape. First, ask yourself these questions:
   • What are the present challenges I’m facing? Am I trying to escape them?
   • Is it something I can control or influence?
   • How might God want to use me to influence this situation or use it to change me?
2. Leave going over a bridge, not a plank. Bridges land you safely on the other side. Planks land you in shark infested waters. When you leave, guard your reputation by not demeaning the reputation of your previous employer or those you worked with. And once you’ve decided to leave, be a pro and do your very best, right until the end. Leave them wishing you were staying on.
3. Leave with the mindset of an investor, not a hoarder. Decide before you start your new job how you might better invest in your new workmates. For instance, perhaps you might:
   • Listen better before jumping to conclusions?
   • Delegate and trust more?
   • Intentionally seek to mentor others?

A new job represents a new opportunity to work with people with whom you’ve never worked. You can forge new relationships and have a profound influence on those around you. Intentionally write down the ways in which you will work to improve your game.

If you are contemplating a job change, the Challenge Me for this episode is to ask yourself the questions listed in the first decision above. How might God want to use you were you are? If you’re already in transition, what changes will you intentional make to become a better investor in others at your new company.

Resources mentioned or related to this podcast that may be helpful to you:

• Is it time to give your job a shove?, Episode 2 of Reinventure Me on recognizing a healthy discontentment
• The job cleanse: 5 strategies for detoxifying from your former employer, Episode 3 of Reinventure Me on how to detoxify from an unhealthy job
• How your mindset affects your next great beginning, Episode 4 of Reinventure Me on developing a learning mindset