As career changes, attitude must, too / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, April 28, 2008

By J.T. O'Donnell & Dale Dauten

April 28, 2008

Q: After 20 years of working, the last nine with the same major corporation, I wanted to try something new. I went with a smaller firm whose president hired me to build a new division. However, the promised staffing support isn't coming through, and I'm having a hard time adjusting to the "seat of the pants" decision-making. - Robert

J.T.: It's common among individuals who have achieved solid success but then find themselves bored and restless to seek a new job. It's so common that it has a name: "mid-career crisis." Often, the new jobs end up being duds. Why? Research shows that after a long, successful tenure with one company, integrating into a new company's culture is difficult. How long is a "long" tenure? Seven years.

Dale: So, you can go back to the familiar environment, and the familiar boredom, or you can master the new culture. Look at that phrase you used about the new company's decision-making - the full expression is "flying by the seat of my pants." That's pilot jargon for flying a plane by "feel" rather than by instruments - after all, most of the pilot's contact with the plane comes through the seat. And that expression is apt for explaining the difference in management styles. Most high-level corporate executives spend their time with mid-level executives, going over reports. The head of a small company spends lots of time with suppliers, customers and salespeople. Thus, one flies by instruments, the other by feel. You're used to persuading management to your view by offering up data and facts. That doesn't work with someone who doesn't want to look at the instruments. You need to learn how to persuade with more than data, adding the emotional component.

J.T.: You can turn your analytical skills to figuring out the new culture. Those professionals who feel satisfied and inspired throughout their careers view themselves as students in an unending "working education." The moment we stop looking for new ways of doing things is the moment we start holding ourselves back professionally.

Dale: If you assume that your new firm does things wrong, then you'll never fit in. But if you simply tell yourself that the new culture is different and you're going to figure it out and thrive, you will.