CAREER SPECIAL..WHEN TO QUIT AND WHEN NOT?

Dont Throw in the Towel in a Hurry

There are two ways a job comes to an end: either you quit, or you are fired. Either way, it takes a heavy emotional and financial toll. My focus here is on those people who sometimes consider quitting as a solution to their progress. You sure do succeed when you quit for the right reasons, but if quitting is a way to cover up for your failures, then you are headed for a professional disaster. Here are a few reasons you must not quit if you really are serious about your progress.
WHEN THINGS GET CHALLENGING
The easiest thing to do when the pressure starts to mount is to quit. That is the unmistakable mark of a loser. We live in challenging and competitive times. If you don’t have the guts and the grit to be continually pushed and stretched for higher performance then you won’t survive anywhere you go. When your job gets more demanding, it is an opportunity for your growth. Team up with your seniors, make your boss your best buddy and learn from them. If you can muster enough courage to rise bigger than the challenge, then you will be an asset everywhere you go, but shirking from pressure will make you a sure-shot liability for your next employer.
WHEN YOUR PERFORMANCE IS POOR
If you are being reprimanded for poor performance, the easiest thing to do is dump the disappointment and head for unknown pastures where your weaknesses are not yet known. “I am so humiliated with my boss’s reaction to my low performance that I can’t work under him anymore. I quit.” This was a Facebook message from one of my readers. The rule of thumb is that if you can’t deliver results in your current profile, then you are not capable of delivering in your next job either. If you could have, you would have. If you haven’t, it’s because you can’t. Accept your shortcomings and be open to be guided. No matter how fancy your designation, be prepared to adhere to strict discipline, buck up on your work ethic and deliver what is expected of you. If you must quit, then quit while you win, not when you lose.
WHEN RELATIONSHIPS ARE STRAINED
Work pressures sometimes strain relationships between colleagues. And that often leads to an emotional breakdown. “My boss was very considerate and friendly at the outset. But now his mood is unpredictable and he has become a taskmaster. I don’t enjoy working with him any more,” one sales executive, who was contemplating quitting his company, said in a mail. “My immediate senior is a very shrewd person. He is short-tempered and unreasonable.” This was a colleague’s justification for putting in his papers. I believe, of all the things, relationships have the potential to be saved if one communicates one’s feelings and expectations. If the two gentlemen would just take the first step in establishing value-based communication with their seniors, expressing their concerns and the impact of their attitude, then I believe there was a chance for things to turn around. Quitting without making the effort to set things right, will only set you up for further disappointment, for you can’t choose the people you work with. If you have not learnt how to deal with difficult people, then get ready to quit your new job before you start it, for every work place has its fair share of the nasty ones.
WHEN YOU ARE QUESTIONED
“After nine years of serving the organisation, my integrity was questioned when an embezzlement issue was brought to light,” said an employee, who was so hurt by the management’s questioning that he wrote out his resignation right away. I believe every one has a right to question or demand information. An organisation works on faith, which can never be blind; it is renewable. As long as you are being questioned, you are on safe ground. Don’t mistake questioning as an accusation. You have the right to question the management and vice versa. The problem starts when people no longer ask questions and make decisions based on half-information. That’s when people and organisations fail. I have worked with companies for the past 15 years, helping people achieve peak performance. And I can tell you that there is no ideal organisation. Quitting your job for better career opportunities when your current employer is failing to provide one is a smart move. But to quit because you are failing in your ability to cope and perform is a professional blunder. Set things right. Give yourself and your company a chance to grow bigger and stronger, for if you don’t, you are not really quitting on your job, you are quitting on yourself.
Priya Kumar, CEO/chief facilitator, PKTS, Mumbai

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