Tumultuous times
If you are seeing high turnover and changes in leadership at your university, college, or department, you are not alone. Many higher ed. leaders have experienced more frustration or fatigue than they could handle, so they jumped ship to see if the grass was greener elsewhere. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t. You may be asking yourself if you should be looking for another job too. You know what you would lose if you left, but you don’t know what you would gain. Is leaving the right decision for you?
Causes of dissatisfaction
Can the cause of your dissatisfaction be fixed? Is it likely that it will get fixed? For example, you may be exhausted because several positions haven’t been filled and the workload is crushing you. Would leaving your job guarantee that this won’t happen to you elsewhere? It won’t. Talk with your supervisor (and HR if appropriate) to figure out what kind of timeline you can anticipate to get these positions filled. When you have more clarity about what to expect, it will be easier to make a decision.
If what makes you unhappy cannot be fixed, such as working under the leadership of people you don’t respect (e.g., if they lack integrity, or seem incompetent, or keep making terrible decisions) you may want to update your resume and hire a coach. Not having any trust in the people who lead can cause tremendous stress, and even cause you to develop new issues such as feeling under-valued, doubting yourself, being stifled and ultimately, feeling disengaged (learned powerlessness). When you are no longer your best self, you become a lesser job candidate and most importantly, you feel terrible! So, if there is no hope that things will get better, get yourself out of there!
If you decide to stay
If you know the problems are temporary and fixable, and you choose to stay, make sure to keep your distance from chronic complainers. It’s important not to develop a victim mentality and instead, see the challenging situation as an opportunity. When many of the employees are new, you can stand out by being someone who has valuable knowledge about, well, everything! You already know historical facts, current challenges and goals, policies, procedures, and processes, as well as how to work with people who are still at your institution. You can be a precious resource and position yourself well to be noticed and rewarded.
It's the perfect time to show yourself as someone who is loyal and highly dedicated to the success of your department and institution. You can work hard and work smart, making yourself extremely valuable. Show your personality and leadership skills (and potential for increased responsibilities). The most important thing during highly stressful times is to show your emotional intelligence (don’t be reactive but very intentional) and poise. While most people waste precious time and energy complaining about being too busy and tired, show how calmly you can navigate challenging times.
Reflect and be intentional
During the busiest of times, too many leaders spend their days putting out fires and don’t step back to reflect and gain new perspectives. They create a narrative in their mind that there is no other way because they “can barely hold their head above water”. That kind of disempowered mindset will lead to mistakes, wasted efforts, obsessive thinking, stress, poor decisions, and loss of respect and credibility. Most of the time, it also reduces employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and increases turnover. Feeling powerless always makes things worse, that is why you must find the courage to look at your mindset and habits. To help you do it effectively and skillfully, as well as to identify blind spots, get an executive coach. You don’t know what you don’t know and you can’t fix what you don’t know.
If your workload seems huge, as yourself these questions to identify ways to improve your situation:
What are my top priorities?
How do I measure success for these top priorities?
What do I need to start doing?
What do I need to stop doing?
What do I need to do differently?
Who are the people who tend to hijack my day?
What can I do to discourage these behaviors?
What are the patterns that set me back?
What can I do instead?
What can I do to have better follow-through and self-discipline?
Also, please pay attention to how much time you spend complaining. That time and energy are wasted, and you can’t blame anyone for that. It’s your own doing. Some people have difficulty seeing the difference between “sharing facts” and “complaining or ruminating”.
A simple way to know if you are wasting your time and energy is to ask yourself “Is this thought making me feel stronger or weaker?”
For example, if you say or think “John is hurting my ability to do my job because he always misses deadlines and that sets me back” that makes you weaker, doesn’t it? But if instead you say or think “I am going to speak with John to understand what is causing delays and what needs to happen for him to meet deadlines, then create an accountability tool, and the problem will be solved” you will feel stronger.
It’s because you shift from being a passive observer to someone who is taking charge. Taking ownership/responsibility for everything that happens under your watch may seem unfair at times, but that’s what true leaders do!
This part about being intentional implies that you have spoken with your supervisor, and you know what the priorities are, and how your work performance will be measured. Don’t skip that step. Asking questions doesn’t make you look bad; it shows that you are thinking strategically and aligning your goals with your supervisor’s goals.
So, what will you do? Whether you think it’s time to look for another job, or you choose to stay and want to become a stronger leader, click here to schedule a complimentary call with me and discuss how we can work together. Many colleges and universities pay for executive coaching because they know how significant the return on investment is, so don’t wait. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, and online courses. Audrey is the go-to executive coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by improving communication, confidence, executive presence, effectiveness reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.