Recently, I was training a group of middle level managers on the nuances of leading teams, and managing both their down-liners and their bosses.
Over the course of the two-day programme, it became apparent that some of the participants were having internal conflicts and self-doubt about their role, efficacy, and their ability to have break-through moments with their own line leaders.
It was also clear that nearly all of them were subject matter specialists. They knew their job and exhibit suitable drive.
But here's a reality check. The truth of corporate life is that talent and drive alone will not get you to where you may want to be. There are so many talented and driven individuals who have been overlooked and find themselves in the "corporate dumpster."
Working in hierarchical organisations requires a different mindset. Within your organisation there are complex human relationships that you need to master, and become nimble enough to navigate through the demands placed on you by your bosses while juxtaposing your own needs.
Aside from knowing your job and being a solid executor, your communication skills, ability to curate other people's perception of yourself, and your flexibility in dealing with intricate organisational politics, play a crucial role in your long-term career sustainability and growth
But when you feel fatigued, you cannot help but think about quitting. Deciding to quit your job to pursue new opportunities is undoubtedly a major step in your career journey that requires careful thought and consideration.
Remember that the urge to leave your position might be a result of temporary issues. After reflection, if you feel that your problems can be sorted out by negotiating with your bosses, or if you clarify their expectations, you might reconsider.
The only real tangible reason for you to quit a well-paying job is if there are systemic problems with the organisation, or your role itself may lead to long-term job dissatisfaction. There are various factors that will signal it is time for you to hand in your resignation letter and move on to a new job. These include a toxic work environment, a difficult boss, or a general detachment from the role itself.
So, it is vital that you clarify whether you're truly unhappy with your work, or if it is a temporary frustration. Temporary frustration can be resolved with slight tweaks in the system, such as a new assignment, a modified reporting structure, or the decision to turn off your email notifications over the weekend.
It is time for a change, only when the signs demonstrate a more deeply rooted gap in your employment experience. You should consider quitting when there is a lack of growth opportunity.
Most people want to move up in their careers so they can increase their income, develop more skills, and improve their contributions to their organisation. If that growth has completely stalled, then it might be time to move on to a new company where you can actually advance.
You may want to resign for ethical complications.
If there are ethical or legal issues dogging your organisation and this is affecting your role and personal conscience, it might be a signal to move on to look for a new opportunity that will value compliance and ethics. It might not only be the company that is involved in unethical behavior. Perhaps you are personally dealing with mistreatment at work, and your managers or the company's HR department has failed to address your concerns.
You should walk away if you are consistently dealing with challenging leadership.
Leaders are the essence of an organisation. If you cannot gauge the direction they are taking, you will find yourself disagreeing on important initiatives, regularly. This will simply make your workday that much more demoralising. Leadership has a robust influence on the employee lifecycle of any organisation. Leaders who are unwilling to listen logically, support innovation and integrity, as well as encourage collaboration, are a nightmare to work with.
You must quit when you lack passion.
At the start of your job, you may have had great hope and drive. But if you are no longer invested in your role, you should rethink your employment. When you are not passionate about your career, you certainly will not be executing your best work.
Your mental health considerations are most important.
If you can barely bring yourself to go to work, you know that it is time to leave. It could be because your workload is too intense or your co-workers are becoming toxic. If you are constantly stressed and burned out, it will have a detrimental effect on you emotionally, and sometimes even physically. It may be time to quit if it's not an issue of a transient nature.
So, before you decide to quit, understand the nature of corporate organisations, and upon reflection, leave only for the right reasons.
*The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author ot the national bestseller 'So, You Want To Get Promoted?'