Someone called my current gig an "Executive Substitute Teacher." For the past five years, I have worked with Strategic Government Resources (SGR) and helped municipalities hold the Finance Department together while they sought a permanent Finance Director.
I have seen several different organizations. There are more similarities across cities than differences. The one constant similarity is: when it is time to go: leave.
We all grow tired of the "grind" of any organization. One colleague told me he knew it was time to leave when he compared his job to the Greek mythological Sisyphus. From the outside, he had a fascinating job. Still, he felt he was "pushing the organization up a hill every day, only to have to repeat it the next." He knew it was time to do something different. He resigned.
Everyone has different signs when it is time to find something different. Here are some things I see when I walk into an organization.
Too much "paper": People are not clearing out their work. Whether that is actual paper or electronic files, the number of records weighs them and, I believe, the organization down. The sheer weight is preventing one from embracing new ideas. It is time to leave if you have 2019 calendars on the wall. It is time to seek alternative employment if you have yet to take a week to clean paper and electronic files since 2020.
Dusty and dirty: I have been shocked at office dust and dirt. While we have all been in a hybrid environment over the past few years, there is no reason not to clean one's space. I did not expect dirty keyboards, grimy monitors, whiteboards with work from 2017 (!), and an extraordinary level of dust. It has been shocking. Cleaning one's space as one also eliminates data weight and allows one to see things differently.
Books and magazines: I immediately survey if the person has left any books or other materials. Indeed, they might have taken their favorites as they left, except there are no vacant spaces on the bookshelf. If there are no recent books, did they take some time to refresh themselves with new ideas? Harsh, possibly, in an electronic age. Still, a sign for me the grind was, again, dragging them into an abyss.
Sharing with staff: I cannot tell you the number of times I asked the remaining staff questions, and the response was, "I don't know; they did not tell me anything." I do not believe the former director "hoarded" information. I assume they were tired of talking about things. Teaching people takes a lot of work. There is too little time to get things done, and taking a moment to explain takes more time. But now, we are searching for information taking more energy and time for the remaining staff.
Talking about everyone else: Please don't talk about your supervisors, peers, or other staff, leaving a "whataboutism" attitude with the remaining staff. With new elections, leadership and program emphasis changes. The remaining staff have to build working relationships in the organization.
I know the difficulty and discomfort of change. I also know you are no longer helping the organization or yourself by staying. There are different signals for each of us that we need to change. Many organizations need your experience and expertise. You have a great deal to offer. Leave for new experiences and horizons!
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