Transitions

I am in a period of transition, having accepted a new job that I am excited about – a newly created management position in a relatively small and growing software company. Essentially, I will be a slightly bigger fish in a smaller pond.  I am currently in the limbo period of wrapping up my old job while anticipating the new.  I’m working long  hours in an attempt to transform a large, complex and messy project into a tidy package for my successor before I leave.  It is like shoving a pound of tepid jello into a baggie–it keeps oozing out of the edges.

As a former consultant, who has worked a lot of temporary gigs;  I have some thoughts on work transitions.

1.  Don’t burn your bridges behind you–the world is small.  You absolutely will encounter former co-workers in other venues and it is advisable to leave on good terms.   A Jerry Maguiresque exit rarely ends well.  Avoid the temptation to mentally check out before you walk out.   I used to say never burn a bridge; but then I experienced incredibly hostile treatment (of myself and others) by an evil misogynistic boss.  I confronted the behavior directly fully aware that I would not get justice and that I could never return.  

2. A  new job is like buying a new house:  Some things will be better than the old one and some things will be worse.   I will miss the beautiful office space of my current office, including my window seat with a view of the parking lot, and I will miss many of my incredible co-workers. While there are many pluses to my new position a beautiful work setting is not among them.

3.  Retain and have confidence in what you know.  The lessons you’ve learned from your last job still apply in your new job, even though it may be a different industry or company.  Grow, Retain and use your hard-won knowledge as you travel through your career.  I keep a list called The Things I Know and review it from time to time.  My list reflects my own ‘aha’ moments pertaining to human behavior, communication and team-building, as well IT methodology-specific things that would make your eyeballs roll back in your head from sheer boredom if I listed them here.

4.  Don’t be Guilty about Leaving your current job.  Women are particularly susceptible to feeling guilty when we put our own needs and aspirations above the needs of others.  If your dream (or dream-ish)  job presents itself — take it;  even if the timing isn’t ideal for leaving what you are doing now (it is almost NEVER good).  Of course Rule #1 still applies (unless it doesn’t).

5.  Culture and People are important.  It is important to build a positive culture and positive relationships with your co-workers, both because it makes work more enjoyable and a positive culture is essential to productivity.  There is a corollary to this rule:  If you can’t change the people, change the people (this only makes sense if you say it out loud).

6.  Don’t be an Eeyore or a Catbert;  Eeyores are everywhere–sad sacks who find reasons every day to be unhappy and/or ineffective in their job.  They point fingers at everything and everyone around them and may be very vocal in their complaints. A bad attitude is self-destructive and is a drag on the whole team.  Whereas Catbert burns and mistreats everyone around him for his own personal benefit and sometimes for sheer sport.  In general, it is probably inadvisable to model your behavior on a cartoon character.

7.   LIKE your job.    We spend a lot of time at work and its important to have work that is meaningful and engaging, with co-workers that we enjoy.  If you dread going to work most of the time (vs. just Monday mornings–which is to be expected) it might be time to think about making a change.   However, if you are miserable most of the time, everywhere you go… introspection and therapy may be in order.  You know who you are.

I’m heading off to play tennis.  Nothing like a busy work week to help appreciate the weekends!

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