You can’t leave…until

Last week I shared the Four Forces model, which I think is a really helpful way at looking at what makes you switch to a new solution or stick with what you’ve got.  I wanted to dig into the first of those forces this week, Push – the force that makes us want to break away from our existing solution, e.g. our current corporate job.

In many ways, this force is the most important because both inertia and fear of change are so strong in us humans.  No matter how many inspiring blogs, articles or Instagram posts we read, about people doing what we dream of doing, unless we’re in pain with our current situation, we won’t move.

And that may be the right decision.  Leaving isn’t right for everyone – right now.  Or maybe ever.  And just to be clear that’s perfectly fine.

Leaving wasn’t right for me for a really long time.  Despite all my fantasies of running my own business, the benefits of what I had at bp were too valuable, the risks too high and I wasn’t clear what I really wanted to do.  I wasn’t prepared.

Corporate Escapology isn’t trying to stir up feelings that don’t exist or make you feel bad about wanting to stay working in your corporate job.  It’s here to help people who are thinking of leaving – or already leaving - to prepare and transition smoothly.

If you’re fortunate to decide when you leave, I’d probably suggest don’t leave until you’re ready, by which I mean, know why you’re leaving, how you’re going to leave, what you need from your next move along with some ideas where you’re heading.

If there’s one thing corporate people understand it’s risk, so the chances are slim that you’ll leap without thinking these things through.

The trouble is that the same appreciation of risk is what keeps us from taking any action, even allowing us to explore options or how we feel.

A safe place to start is to systematically try to understand what we expect from our jobs and the extent to which those expectations are met.

One of the exercises I run with clients is something I built called the EDQ model.  It gets into some detail on the expectations we have from our career and how these are currently met.  Some people care deeply about purpose, others about impact, development, team etc.

Below is a simplified version, but I’m happy to share the full excel model if you email me.

It pops out a nice spider chart that highlights what’s important to you – and whether you’re getting what you need (how closely the purple and blue dots line up).

Here’s mine (with a couple of years post-rationalising) when I left my job:

You can see the elements that made me decide the time was right to move.  The expectation gaps for Purpose, Learning, Control, People and Happiness had become too large for me to feel comfortable – so I began to search for alternatives.

Often, there’s just a gnawing feeling that we want to move, that our situation is no longer sufficient.  But we lack the granularity to understand which aspect is causing us the most pain or dissatisfaction.  All too often we don’t allow ourselves the space to interrogate why.  Or maybe we’re afraid of what we’ll find out.

For a long time I was in a denial about how dissatisfied I was.

Had I done this exercise, I am sure I would have decided to move earlier – because the next part of the exercise I complete with clients is to ask whether they have CONTROL to change any of the nine elements within that current role or organisation.

And that’s often where the reality hits home that this may be a one-way direction, without much in our control or influence – and consequently without much hope for change.

But now they – and now you - know why.

Give it a shot and let me know whether you were surprised by your results.  Did the EDQ give you a bit more clarity why you feel the way you do – and also whether you have control or influence over these elements or not.