Do you know the game show, “Let’s Make a Deal?” I’m guessing you do. According to my unofficial research, it’s been around since 1963. On the off-chance you’re a millennial, Wayne Brady apparently hosts the current version— although I doubt you’re watching CBS, #becausenetflix.
In any case, contestants have to make a call on whether the prize in their current possession is 1) way better than the alternative or 2) worth giving away in the hopes of hitting it BIG. B-I-G…BIG!
Like a dream vacation!
A new set of kitchen appliances!
A fully loaded RV! (ok, that might have been the Price is Right on the Showcase Showdown)
So I started thinking … taking a new job, switching companies, making a wholescale career change— it’s a little bit like “Let’s Make a Deal”, isn’t it? Is there something better behind door #2? Is the grass greener?
But the game show is mostly luck.
With your career, my hope is that we’ve taken in enough data points, mitigated the risks, and we’re making educated decisions.
The feeling of making a big change, like the game show … can be exhilarating— it’s equal parts thrilling, scary, and it gives us a chance to dream— about what COULD be. The untapped potential!
But in that excitement, don’t lose your head. Remember the lessons you’ve learned… about working great cultures v. crappy cultures. Fantastic leaders v. jerks. Decisive actions v. analysis paralysis.
Do you know what I’m saying here? Don’t fall in love with someone for being in love with you.(or a company)
You have your own decisions to make.
Take stock of everything you know, you’ve done, you’ve experienced— whether it was personal or professional. Don’t bargain with yourself so much that you settle for something.
One last thing — we all go through times in our career that are so life-changing, that we make promises to ourselves. We make vows. They usually sound like this:
Never again. I’m not going to be THAT person. Not me. No way.
During the 2008-2009 financial crisis, I happened to be working at GE Capital. At one point, GE Capital was the 7th largest financial institution in the United States. ~50K employees, globally dispersed. Very large, very complex.
When the house of cards started tumbling and liquidity dried up overnight— the business quickly made the difficult decision to start laying off and consolidating business units. Not unlike what we are going through now.
No one had been through that kind of panic before, at least not in the financial world. As an HR professional, I laid off many employees. In the beginning, I would have at least the employee’s manager to help deliver the news. Then I was laying off the leaders. Then I was just laying off people by myself. We saved as many jobs as we could, but still, having to let go employees with 20+ years of service— I was overwhelmed.
For decades, they believed in the Company and made trade-offs. They gave up dinners at home, Wednesday night soccer games, school performances, etc.
And in one meeting, their journey ended.
The social contract had been broken.
It was heartbreaking.
Here is what stayed with me after that experience— I promised myself that I would take stock of my career EVERY YEAR:
did I like what I was doing & feel a sense of purpose?
did I want to be doing something different?
was it aligned with my personal/ family life?
did I feel appreciated and rewarded appropriately?
I wanted to make sure I was making the right trade-offs for me and my family. I was going to make sure that if I were to stay with GE, I would make an ACTIVE decision to stay; not a PASSIVE decision to remain.
Here’s another way to look at it, sports fans! Do you watch soccer? Or basketball? Isn’t it irritating when teams start playing four corners to run out the clock? I don’t mean in the last 2 minutes, I mean like for an ENTIRE HALF. That’s not how you win.
You have to stay actively engaged.
In the end, my GE journey came to a close because the last business I worked in was divested. I considered staying with the new company— I still think of my old team and all of the awesome people there quite often. The culture and the work familiar— But I knew deep down, while the people were the same, it was time for me to get off the train. (pun intended!)
It was time to make good on the promise I made to myself 11 years prior.
The moral of this story?
1) When playing, “Let’s Make a Deal”, don’t lose your head.
2) Stay true to the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
3) And in the words of the great Kenny Rogers….
And despite not being able to predict a global pandemic, I’m good with my choices.
It’s good. We’re good. It’s all good.
Until next time, friends.
Stay well!
Jean