1. Your input is disregarded… or
even not wanted.
Everyone has ideas. And everyone loves
when their ideas are taken seriously –
and implemented. The feeling that you’ve
contributed in a special way is incredibly
gratifying.
But when your boss or company shoots
down or even laughs at your ideas, that’s
not only insulting, it's demotivating. And
pretty soon you stop caring.
Life’s too short not to care.
Related: What Should You Tell Your
Employees When Layoffs Are
Imminent? (LinkedIn)
2. You get criticized publicly.
We all need constructive feedback. We all
need a little nudge. We all need to be told
when we can do something better – and
how to do it better.
But we need to be told those things in
private.
Life’s too short to walk around waiting
for the next time you’ll be criticized –
and even humiliated – in front of other
people.
3. You never hear the word,
“Thanks.”
Everyone also needs praise. We all need
to know when we do something well (and
everyone, even poor performers, do some
things well.)
Life’s too short not to be recognized for
the contributions you make.
4. Your boss manages up, not
down.
You know the type: as a leader they
should focus their time and attention on
their direct reports, but they spend all
their time “following” their boss. It seems
like your only job is to contribute to the
greater glory – and advancement – of
your boss.
A great boss knows that if her team
succeeds – and each individual on that
team succeeds – then she will succeed too.
Life’s too short to spend your time
developing your boss’s career at the
expense of your own.
5. You feel like you have no
purpose.
Everyone likes to feel a part of something
bigger. Everyone likes to feel they make
an impact not just on results but also on
the lives of other people.
Life’s too short to go home every day
feeling like you’ve worked… but you
haven’t accomplished anything
meaningful.
6. You feel like a number.
Everyone is replaceable. Everyone,
ultimately, works for a paycheck. But
everyone also wants to work for more
than a paycheck. They want to work with
people they respect admire… and they
want to be respected and admired in
return.
If your boss doesn’t occasionally stop for
a quick discussion about family, an
informal conversation to see if you need
an help, or simply to say a kind word…
then you’re just a cog in a larger
machine.
Life’s too short to only be a cog in a
larger machine.
7. You aren’t even mildly excited to
go to work.
Every job has its downsides. (I’m willing
to bet even Richard Branson has to do a
few things he doesn’t enjoy.) But every
job should also have some fun moments.
Or exciting moments. Or challenging
moments. Or some aspect that makes you
think, “I’m looking forward to doing
that…”
Life’s too short to spend only looking
forward to quitting time.
Related: Branson, Cuban, and Why the
Quality of Advice Matters More than
the Source (LinkedIn)
8. You can’t see a future.
Every job should lead to something:
hopefully a promotion, but if not the
opportunity to take on additional
responsibilities, learn new things, tackle
new challenges… to feel like tomorrow
has the potential to be different – in a
good way – than today.
A decent boss works to improve the
company’s future. A good boss works to
improve her employees’ futures too, even
if – especially if – that might mean some
of those employees will eventually move
on to bigger and better things.
Life’s too short to live without hope.
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