Ahhhh! Today is Angela’s last day at the job she’s been at for the past 6 years or so. YAY! This is so satisfying for two counts:

Feeling appreciated. Nothing is better than feeling appreciated. When I manage people I try to make them feel, regardless of upper management or craptacular clients, that I appreciate all the work and effort that they put into their jobs. I understand that a good portion of the time that their jobs can be mundane or boring. But to be able to drag your ass in and get it done and make the entire organization look good is something that needs to be recognized and lauded. Managing people is not just directing people and telling them what to do. It isn’t just number crunching and office politics. This often gets looked over by managers – the human aspect of the work. I find that if you give of yourself then your employees will give back.

In Angela’s case working in her environment had caused her to stagnate. Was she doing what she wanted to do? Meh. Was her authority being usurped by others? Yep. Does she have to deal with it anymore? Nope. Trust me – nothing is better than being able to walk away from an environment where you don’t want to deal with people who you consider stupid. Trust me, I know. Some of my last clients when I worked with the large, corporate behemoth didn’t know squat about anything yet professed to know everything. ADMIT YOU’RE WRONG AND YOU NEED HELP, YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKERS! Nothing gets in the way of progress more than people who feel like they need to control everything and yet don’t know a damn thing about what they’re talking about. Let progress happen. Let the work happen. Let the people who know how to get things done get things done.

Nothing is worse than not being appreciated for the work, knowledge and exprience that you bring to the table.

Job hunting sucks. Job hunting itself is a full time job. Ok, I take it for granted. I don’t really have problems finding opportunities because they normally find me. I really haven’t had to seriously look for a job for over a decade. But having done it before and watching Angela and other friends do it you learn of the emotional and physical stress that it takes on you. In some respects it is like trying to find a mate: You put information about yourself out there and then you hope that someone finds you attractive. Then you put on your best duds and your best behavior in order to look good and then…your fate is in someone else’s hands. Either they like you and you become a ‘thing’ or they pass you over and look for other prospects. Doing this dance over and over and over again starts to make you doubt yourself and your abilities. Are you good enough? Did you present well? What was wrong with me? Aren’t I pretty?

I’m so glad she doesn’t have to do that anymore. Yay, Angela! I’m proud of you for moving out of a job where you had hit your ceiling and for moving into a new job that will allow you to grow!

Now hurry home so we can do some shopping…