You're probably wondering what this has to do with career coaching or development?!
Well... this is a piece of advice that my mentor gave me years ago. She was my boss at the time and I was considering moving on from the company because of lack of advancement opportunities, toxic company culture, the hours, and the pay (it sucked!). However, my boss was great! She motivated me, encouraged me, and had taken a chance on me when I was a complete newbie in the HR field. I didn't want to let her down or disappoint her by leaving, but I was miserable!
I scheduled a meeting with her to discuss how I was feeling, 100% expecting her to try to talk me into staying, but she surprised me by basically telling me that I should never feel bad for making a decision that could improve my life and my situation. She hated to see me go, but she believed I was ready to take that next step in my career and she truly wanted to see me succeed not only in my professional life but also personally.
Now, this is advice I give to every employee I have to conduct an exit interview with. Don't feel guilty for choosing YOU!
That company, manager, department, or boss will survive without you. The question you should be asking yourself is, "Will I survive if I stay?" If the answer is no, now is the time to start planning your exit.
