The Writing on the Wall

The Writing on the Wall Since yesterdays blog post title was cliche (Windows of Opportunity), why not todays? Ten years ago I was the general manager of a small software and networking services company. My path there was interesting I was an IT manager for a bigger company, and we acquired this little tiny software company, and then we acquired another tiny networking company.  For various reasons, things werent working out. Looking back on it, the intentions and plan were great, but it was a perfect-storm environment where we didnt have the right support, financing, leadership, talent, etc. to really make it work.  What could have been a very cool, nationwide company, was a floundering, stressful mess. I wasnt qualified to do what I was doing, but neither were two others, who were about 20 years older than I was. What we were trying to pull off was tricky, and the board was much more of a heavy-handed why isnt this working partner than a lets make this work, here are the right introductions partner. They totally could have been the latter, but they were the wrong partners, really. Everyone was stressed, from the top to the bottom, and our customers were feeling it. Even though I wasnt qualified, I was up to the challenge to learn, figure it out, put in the work, etc. Not fun. I remember when one of my key guys decided to leave the company. I was crushed.  Not too long after that, another key guy decided to leave. I didnt have very many key guys, and this was making a bad situation worse. So there we were, ten years ago, and it was clear that changes were going to happen. I was not happy, and the stress was taking a toll on my physical well-being as well as my family relationships. I needed to get out, and my wife and I both talked about how to get out of that company, but I was a very loyal guy. I also had a steady paycheck and benefits (I use that word loosely). I found it hard to walk away from my team, and the vision I had been nurturing. We were on a good path, I thought. And then, it happened. I didnt have to wallow in the choice making anymore, because others made the choice for me. What happened to me was no different than what happened to hundreds of thousands of others. Politics. Bad chemistry. Someone spending time fighting for that job, regardless of who would be hurt. Regardless of what was best for the company. Regardless of anything sane. In the end, politics won out.  Those who were easily swayed by a salesman who could sell ice to eskimos, as they say, were swayed. Ive learned that they have regretted, but have had to live with, that decision since then. Thats the bed they made though. I was free. Weight was lifted, and my health was on a path to be restored. I was also scared to death. I had never been forced into a transition before. I had never been in a real job search before. I didnt like not knowing where money would come from to pay my bills. We had bills to pay, and a baby on the way.  Having feelings of fear and uncertainty and elation and freedom, all at the same time, was new and weird. The interesting thing was that I knew this was coming. I knew what our financials were, I knew what we had in the pipeline, I knew where our products where, I knew where our customers were, and I even knew, to a small extent, how much politicking was going on (only later would I learn the extent of politicking that was really happening). But I knew enough, and I could see the writing on the wall.  Like a big brick wall, with big, graffitied letters. The messages were clear. BUT, I didnt trust the messages. I didnt trust my gut. I ignored the writing on the wall. I thought thats what happens to others, not people like me. Indeed, the writing was right. My gut was wrong. And thats why Im writing this post, because I want to share a message with you: TRUST YOUR GUT. Im not saying be paranoid, but Im saying to take in the information around you, read the writing on the wall, and trust your gut. Dont think that you are above the horrible things that you dont think will happen to you.  Your gut might be wrong, but the more you fine tune this skill, and trust yourself, youll be more prepared for things that happen that are out of your control.  But you will be prepared to handle those things by doing things that are in your control. This is a key element of career management. The Writing on the Wall Since yesterdays blog post title was cliche (Windows of Opportunity), why not todays? Ten years ago I was the general manager of a small software and networking services company. My path there was interesting I was an IT manager for a bigger company, and we acquired this little tiny software company, and then we acquired another tiny networking company.  For various reasons, things werent working out. Looking back on it, the intentions and plan were great, but it was a perfect-storm environment where we didnt have the right support, financing, leadership, talent, etc. to really make it work.  What could have been a very cool, nationwide company, was a floundering, stressful mess. I wasnt qualified to do what I was doing, but neither were two others, who were about 20 years older than I was. What we were trying to pull off was tricky, and the board was much more of a heavy-handed why isnt this working partner than a lets make this work, here are the right introductions partner. They totally could have been the latter, but they were the wrong partners, really. Everyone was stressed, from the top to the bottom, and our customers were feeling it. Even though I wasnt qualified, I was up to the challenge to learn, figure it out, put in the work, etc. Not fun. I remember when one of my key guys decided to leave the company. I was crushed.  Not too long after that, another key guy decided to leave. I didnt have very many key guys, and this was making a bad situation worse. So there we were, ten years ago, and it was clear that changes were going to happen. I was not happy, and the stress was taking a toll on my physical well-being as well as my family relationships. I needed to get out, and my wife and I both talked about how to get out of that company, but I was a very loyal guy. I also had a steady paycheck and benefits (I use that word loosely). I found it hard to walk away from my team, and the vision I had been nurturing. We were on a good path, I thought. And then, it happened. I didnt have to wallow in the choice making anymore, because others made the choice for me. What happened to me was no different than what happened to hundreds of thousands of others. Politics. Bad chemistry. Someone spending time fighting for that job, regardless of who would be hurt. Regardless of what was best for the company. Regardless of anything sane. In the end, politics won out.  Those who were easily swayed by a salesman who could sell ice to eskimos, as they say, were swayed. Ive learned that they have regretted, but have had to live with, that decision since then. Thats the bed they made though. I was free. Weight was lifted, and my health was on a path to be restored. I was also scared to death. I had never been forced into a transition before. I had never been in a real job search before. I didnt like not knowing where money would come from to pay my bills. We had bills to pay, and a baby on the way.  Having feelings of fear and uncertainty and elation and freedom, all at the same time, was new and weird. The interesting thing was that I knew this was coming. I knew what our financials were, I knew what we had in the pipeline, I knew where our products where, I knew where our customers were, and I even knew, to a small extent, how much politicking was going on (only later would I learn the extent of politicking that was really happening). But I knew enough, and I could see the writing on the wall.  Like a big brick wall, with big, graffitied letters. The messages were clear. BUT, I didnt trust the messages. I didnt trust my gut. I ignored the writing on the wall. I thought thats what happens to others, not people like me. Indeed, the writing was right. My gut was wrong. And thats why Im writing this post, because I want to share a message with you: TRUST YOUR GUT. Im not saying be paranoid, but Im saying to take in the information around you, read the writing on the wall, and trust your gut. Dont think that you are above the horrible things that you dont think will happen to you.  Your gut might be wrong, but the more you fine tune this skill, and trust yourself, youll be more prepared for things that happen that are out of your control.  But you will be prepared to handle those things by doing things that are in your control. This is a key element of career management. The Writing on the Wall Since yesterdays blog post title was cliche (Windows of Opportunity), why not todays? Ten years ago I was the general manager of a small software and networking services company. My path there was interesting I was an IT manager for a bigger company, and we acquired this little tiny software company, and then we acquired another tiny networking company.  For various reasons, things werent working out. Looking back on it, the intentions and plan were great, but it was a perfect-storm environment where we didnt have the right support, financing, leadership, talent, etc. to really make it work.  What could have been a very cool, nationwide company, was a floundering, stressful mess. I wasnt qualified to do what I was doing, but neither were two others, who were about 20 years older than I was. What we were trying to pull off was tricky, and the board was much more of a heavy-handed why isnt this working partner than a lets make this work, here are the right introductions partner. They totally could have been the latter, but they were the wrong partners, really. Everyone was stressed, from the top to the bottom, and our customers were feeling it. Even though I wasnt qualified, I was up to the challenge to learn, figure it out, put in the work, etc. Not fun. I remember when one of my key guys decided to leave the company. I was crushed.  Not too long after that, another key guy decided to leave. I didnt have very many key guys, and this was making a bad situation worse. So there we were, ten years ago, and it was clear that changes were going to happen. I was not happy, and the stress was taking a toll on my physical well-being as well as my family relationships. I needed to get out, and my wife and I both talked about how to get out of that company, but I was a very loyal guy. I also had a steady paycheck and benefits (I use that word loosely). I found it hard to walk away from my team, and the vision I had been nurturing. We were on a good path, I thought. And then, it happened. I didnt have to wallow in the choice making anymore, because others made the choice for me. What happened to me was no different than what happened to hundreds of thousands of others. Politics. Bad chemistry. Someone spending time fighting for that job, regardless of who would be hurt. Regardless of what was best for the company. Regardless of anything sane. In the end, politics won out.  Those who were easily swayed by a salesman who could sell ice to eskimos, as they say, were swayed. Ive learned that they have regretted, but have had to live with, that decision since then. Thats the bed they made though. I was free. Weight was lifted, and my health was on a path to be restored. I was also scared to death. I had never been forced into a transition before. I had never been in a real job search before. I didnt like not knowing where money would come from to pay my bills. We had bills to pay, and a baby on the way.  Having feelings of fear and uncertainty and elation and freedom, all at the same time, was new and weird. The interesting thing was that I knew this was coming. I knew what our financials were, I knew what we had in the pipeline, I knew where our products where, I knew where our customers were, and I even knew, to a small extent, how much politicking was going on (only later would I learn the extent of politicking that was really happening). But I knew enough, and I could see the writing on the wall.  Like a big brick wall, with big, graffitied letters. The messages were clear. BUT, I didnt trust the messages. I didnt trust my gut. I ignored the writing on the wall. I thought thats what happens to others, not people like me. Indeed, the writing was right. My gut was wrong. And thats why Im writing this post, because I want to share a message with you: TRUST YOUR GUT. Im not saying be paranoid, but Im saying to take in the information around you, read the writing on the wall, and trust your gut. Dont think that you are above the horrible things that you dont think will happen to you.  Your gut might be wrong, but the more you fine tune this skill, and trust yourself, youll be more prepared for things that happen that are out of your control.  But you will be prepared to handle those things by doing things that are in your control. This is a key element of career management.