A Lesson Learned?

 

In the fall of 2010, things looked great with respect to my career.  I was running a project that would lead to a major new product line for our company.  Although there was a momentary curtailment of external marketing efforts while a regulatory issue was being checked into, I was riding the wave of two technical breakthroughs that would make the new product a huge success.  I thought everything was ok and as a result, became complacent.  Somewhere along the way, I lost the drive.  I did not embrace some other tasks that were given to me that would have allowed me to broaden my experience.  When I look back at that fall, there were numerous warning signs that should have motivated me to action, but I was blind to them.  I allowed myself to be deluded into thinking everything was fine.

That winter, I had a project review meeting go terribly wrong.  I was under the impression that the meeting went well until I started receiving negative feedback from others that attended the meeting.  After the shock wore off, I snapped fully awake.  I realized I was “a deer in the headlights” - at minimum in trouble if not in danger of losing my job.  Based on an assessment of the career risks as well as the project risks, I made the decision to look aggressively for a new job, drew up a plan of action, and executed it.  Fortunately for me, I found several opportunities.  It was not a minute too soon, for I learned toward the end that two internal opportunities I thought I had a good chance at did not materialize.  Seven weeks later senior management deemphasized the project and, on the eve of the second interview for the job I now hold, I was laid off.

Although the story had a happy ending, I wonder what would have happened if I had maintained my drive and embraced what was given to me.  Instead, I easily could have joined the ranks of the chronically unemployed given my age and narrow skill-set.  Today, facing a change in business conditions and a challenging reassignment, I reflect on this lesson and use it to reenergize myself.

 

Photo courtesy morguefile.com