Time To Leave? How to Tell

Q. I’m uneasy about what’s happening in our company—downsizing; overwork; my boss’s growing impatience and insensitivity. I have options with other companies, but I’ve been here for more than seven years and like my job. Lately I seem to be shut out from some key decision meetings. Is the handwriting on the wall for me? —Theresa L.

A. You’re raising several key issues, but those I think most critical are your boss’s impatience and insensitivity and your being shut out of key meetings. I’d recommend you ask for a meeting with your boss, and try to clear the air. Share your concerns, but don’t sound like a victim, a complainer, or an angry malcontent. Just ask for some clarification of some things that don’t feel right. (Things could be fine, and what you’re sensing could be an oversight from a boss who has too much on his or her plate.)

But if you don’t get straight answers or you sense some defensiveness from the boss, I’d see these as red flags—and maybe it’s time to protect yourself and your career. If your responsibility and authority has been steadily increasing for the past seven years, that’s a good sign. But if you’ve had the same job for that amount of time, you may have grown stagnant—or others are passing you by.

We almost always know when it's time to change jobs. Some of us heed our own instincts and take careful steps to bring about the next job offer that fits our goals. Others remain victims, fearful of change, waiting until the situation forces them out. That’s a bad road to take. Consider these career red flags you need to spot—and deal with:

New CEO.

There’s a different management style and you’re not comfortable with it. You’re having trouble “fitting in” with the new management team, and they’re letting you know it. The best assignments are given to others. You’re treated differently.

Less Access.

You no longer have easy access to the boss; you have to make appointments to get on her usually too-tight schedule. Your advice isn’t sought as often.

Loss of Freedom.

Instead of being free to create fresh new programs to meet business challenges, you’re given directions and assignments to carry out. You don’t get invited to lunches, dinners, or golf games. You move from being considered a top performer to someone who apparently can’t do anything right.

Budget Problems.

Your budget or staff is cut—often with sincere-sounding apologies and explanations. The fact is, when they take away your resources, it’s a message. (In World War II, Supreme Commander Dwight Eisenhower had trouble controlling the independent-minded British Field Marshall Bernard ‘Monty’ Montgomery. When Montgomery started moving his forces to where Eisenhower had asked him not to, Eisenhower simply cut all shipments of gasoline to Montgomery’s forces. Problem solved.)

Loss of Key Customer.

This could be something related to you, or maybe not. But often the loss of a key client or customer means people have to be let go. If you’re on a manager’s “marginal” list, you’re a prime candidate for “downsizing.”

Pay Cut. You’re told, “We all have to tighten our belts to get through this.” But it’s a safe bet that that many others are “exempted.” I once saw a bulletin board notice to employees from the Chairman of a Fortune 500 company that said something like this: “As a cost-cutting measure, all non-essential business travel will stop until further notice. This problem is serious enough that the Board and I will discuss it at our meeting in the Bahamas next week.”

Your Goals Have Changed.

You’re getting tired of the daily grind; of spending most of your time in the office; of commuting. So instead of enjoying the fast-paced corporate culture life, your motivation has changed to making enough money to provide for your growing family's needs while having more time to spend with them.

Fear of Change.

Sometimes we think it’s better to stay in our comfort zone (in your case, the job you’ve had for seven years.) For many people, change triggers fear. They keep denying the inner voice that tells them it’s time to change. Their fear of change is worse than any discomfort they might be experiencing at work. One manager I know of spotted all the red flags, but stayed for two more very unhappy years. Finally, the new boss forced him out of the organization—painfully. His fear of change cost him the opportunity to leave on his terms—at a time he—not his boss—chose.

Futurist Joel Barker notes, “When the paradigm shifts, everything goes back to zero.” When your paradigm shifts, and something inside says it's time to go...then it's time to go.