Opportunity to Leave
Most of us won’t stay at one job our entire life. That means we’ll have the opportunity to leave a position at some point. When we leave a job, lost in the concerns of the moment, we often don’t consider our responsibility to our former co-workers.
Depending on why we’re moving on, our behaviors can be markedly different. If we’ve been let go, or have been dealing with months of frustration, our emotions could get the better of us. We may even be tempted to ‘send a message’, but you have to ask, is anyone going to get it? These chaotic darting avenues are the byproduct of a looping narrative running in our head.
Beliefs are the engine of behavior. If we recognize this, we can short circuit the negative loop and create a new story - one that serves our team and our reputation. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves and adopting a victim mentality, we can play the long game and focus on others. Our team, co-workers or even our boss. How can we best serve them in this transition?
In the past, I’ve made the mistake of feeling entitled to my emotions and justified in my selfish actions. This provides a short term shot of superiority, but trust me, it fades - fast.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Change is stressful, but don’t let it get the best of you. It’s easy to miss the opportunity shrouded in a negative situation. In those moments, consider thinking less about yourself and care enough to help your friends in the transition they are now going through. This is a path you will never regret.