Tuesday February 7, 2012
Last week’s blog post focused on four signs your leadership role could be in jeopardy. This week’s focus is on what to do if you recognize these signs in your current environment.
First thing you want to do is remind yourself that you are in control of the situation. True, you cannot control whether or not your leaders or your company decide to eliminate you or your role but you can control what you do about the current situation. So first and foremost, remember, you are in control.
Second, you need to decide if you want to try to improve your situation where you are; that is, you like your company ,what you do, and would prefer to stay there. If this is the case, you must take initiative to approach your boss, someone in HR (or whomever is the appropriate person in your company) and share what you’ve noticed. Express what you’ve seen, what you’re concerned about, and what you want to happen. For example, if you’ve noticed you’re not included as much as you used to be and not getting as much exposure as you once were but want that type of inclusion and exposure again, articulate this. And then ask for input from your boss (or HR or whomever you are speaking) on what you need to do to get back to the same leve of performance and responsibility you once had (and even beyond that).
One thing to keep in mind here is before you ask the question, be sure you want to know the answer. You may not like what you hear and you must be prepared for whatever the answer is. Hopefully it will be positive and honest input to assist you in putting a plan together that supports your improvement in your role. However, if it is not and you realize that there may not be a path to improvement, you will need to deal with that and take steps to plan your way to a new role or even a new company. Having this conversation may be a bit awkward or even difficult to do; yet, is necessary and something that must be done if you want to know exactly where you stand with your current role.
The other decision you could make is that you don’t want to try to improve the situation where you are but instead, are more interested in seeking a different role in a different company. If this is your decision, dealing with your role being in jeopardy now means pulling your résumé together and seeking other opportunities. It means beginning to seek the support of your network and trusted colleagues and let them know of your plans. It is often through others that opportunities are presented to us so if you are going to seek something new, share this with those in your trusted network and allow them to be on the lookout for potential opportunities for you.
If you realize your role may be at risk, don’t panic. Just remember that you are in control. Make a decision about how you want to handle the fact that your role could be in jeopardy and then continue taking steps to change that situation. Do not sit and wait for something to happen or someone to say something to you. You make the move and make things happen for you. Eventually, you’ll end up in a much more stable place.
