Immediate Regret: Why Did I Take This Job? – Info Decision Make
Joann S. Lublin recently wrote a Wall Street Journal column titled, “What to Do When That Shiny New Job Isn’t the Right Fit.” Actually, the article mostly focuses on why and how people end up in that difficult predicament. Lublin recounts the story of one tech executive who discovered soon after landing a new job that it would not be the opportunity that he anticipated. Here’s an excerpt from Lublin’s column:
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Technology industry veteran Puneet Goel says he wishes he had done greater due diligence a few years ago before taking charge of product management at a midsize tech company He never reached out to his immediate predecessor who no longer worked there. He says the firm’s CEO and founder asked Mr. Goel to draw up a road map for a more competitive version of its software—and promised him autonomy to devise product strategy. But once Mr. Goel joined, the company chief promised potential customers product capabilities that didn’t exist and weren’t part of his new road map.
“He wanted to do what I thought was my job,” Mr. Goel explains. “I just couldn’t be successful in that way.” According to Mr. Goel, the CEO defended his approach by telling him, “‘This is the way I have always done it and this is how we are going to do things here.”’ Concluding “there are no good options here,” Mr. Goel resigned after seven months. He’s now a product manager for Google. an Alphabet Inc. unit.
Many reasons exist for this type of regret after landing a new job. The example above identifies a common problem for new hires – the lack of expected and promised autonomy. Leaders often do not want to let go, and though they might promise a new hire a degree of autonomy during the recruiting process, they simply cannot avoid the desire to micromanage. Naturally, some good due diligence will help in this case, but you have to be a bit skeptical of the promises made to you. You have to learn about the decision-making style of those for whom you will work. Don’t be foolish and believe people when they tell you that they are suddenly going to change their spots. A candidate might hear, “I’ve managed this function tightly in the past, but I’m ready to provide the new manager much more autonomy.” Be careful! It’s highly unlikely that someone with decades of micromanagement in his or her past will suddenly shift leadership style.
Many reasons exist for this type of regret after landing a new job. The example above identifies a common problem for new hires – the lack of expected and promised autonomy. Leaders often do not want to let go, and though they might promise a new hire a degree of autonomy during the recruiting process, they simply cannot avoid the desire to micromanage. Naturally, some good due diligence will help in this case, but you have to be a bit skeptical of the promises made to you. You have to learn about the decision-making style of those for whom you will work. Don’t be foolish and believe people when they tell you that they are suddenly going to change their spots. A candidate might hear, “I’ve managed this function tightly in the past, but I’m ready to provide the new manager much more autonomy.” Be careful! It’s highly unlikely that someone with decades of micromanagement in his or her past will suddenly shift leadership style.
Article Prepared by Ollala Corp