I debated writing on Xmas eve, but this came across my feed & sparked an interesting topic for holiday time – that I’m hoping will provide some w comfort.
I’ve never been one to borrow quotes of others, but this one was poignant & particularly fitting.
Arnd holiday time, we reflect a lot abt our work/careers. Why? Bc we have some down time to evaluate. Am I at the right place? Doing what truly makes me happy? Is my job at risk? Do I even have a stable job/income? And a very impt one: do I trust, enjoy, & respect the leaders I work for?
I only know working in the pro sports biz my whole career till this crash happened. In a biz that is so competitive & so cut-throat, there are 2 types of ppl: 1) narcissistic, do anything to get ahead, insecure leaders who are often gunning for each other’s jobs, & 2) ppl who are anything but the above, salt of the earth ppl who STILL have survived in that same shark tank.
I’ve had the fortune to work for both. More often the 1st type than the 2nd, bc there are more of them. I say fortunate to both, bc you learn just as much abt how NOT to treat ppl from the 1st group, as you do to appreciate your good fortune & pick up pearls of wisdom from the 2nd.
Here’s the takeaway on holiday reflection time – do not let a leader above you, wrought w narcissism/insecurity hold you back. I hear so many stories now, from ppl who tell me their jobs/bosses specifically are their main source of discontentment & angst. This MOST often comes from: being held back, or worst case, being let go.
It’s usually a position that opens above you, that you’re not considered for, despite being a loyal/hard-working employee who’s produced. Or, it’s the extra responsibility that opens up that you’re not given to add to your oversight. This, I’m finding from my talks, happens in most industries, not just sports, & it happens bc “leaders” above you have insecurities of their own, afraid to give you more decision making authority bc it threatens them. At this time of reflection, give yourself a big gift: prioritize working for the RIGHT leader over $ or title, your next move.
