We'll All Leave and Move On

Until then, let's get stuff done.

I'm back to writing my newsletter posts. Last weekend was Labor Day, and I was busy with activities. However, back to normal now. So here we go.

Friendly Advice

A friend of mine was considering taking a position at a new company. She was at her current job for almost ten years. Because of this, she was concerned about leaving her job and the impact on her current company. However, I reminded her of what will happen if she leaves:

• The next day, everyone will show up to work.

• The next day, the company will still sell its products/services.

• They will backfill your job and repost it or choose not to backfill and keep the money.

This is my motto whenever I speak with someone who wonders what will happen if they leave their company for a new opportunity. Don't worry; the company will be fine. Even though we play an essential role at our company, our importance has limits.

My Friend Art

In one of my first jobs early in my career, I sat next to someone named Art. I knew Art was close to retirement because he talked about it daily. We had a cube farm with surrounding walls, so I never saw Art but heard him.

Then, one day, Art was gone. His long-discussed retirement date arrived. What resonated with me was that everyone showed up the next day. The only difference was that there was no more Art.

I realized that we aren't as important as we think. All of us will have our last day at our jobs, companies, and careers. The question becomes, what do we do with the time we have?

Let’s Do Cool Stuff In the Meantime

What impact will we make, if any, with our time?

What are the critical projects we can/should work on?

What is the important work that will move the needle?

Knowing that we will move on one day should inspire us to make the most of each day. We should also remember to keep current with our skills. Are the things you are working on potentially relevant to another company?

I’ve left a few jobs in my career.  I’ve been fortunate enough to work on some impactful projects during my time at those companies. When I left the company, I knew I had made an impact and made things better than when I had started.

Here are some questions for you to think about each week.

• What is your signature project?

• What will you build/implement that will become a foundational part of the business?

• What do you want people to say (in a positive way) after you leave, "Oh yeah, that's still around."

Even though we won’t be working forever, let’s still get some cool stuff done until then.