Helping Team Members Find Their Next Opportunity
I believe in helping team members find their next opportunity, while still working on our team. I’ve done it multiple times.
Some people might think that’s strange. After all, why would I want to help someone leave our team – especially if they’re a valued team member (which in these cases – they usually are).
Well, that’s easy. I want what’s best for the people I lead. Even when what’s best for them may not be what’s most convenient for me.
Several times in my career, someone helped me get to my next assignment. They opened a door, made a phone call, offered advice, or simply encouraged me to take a step of faith.
I’ve always wanted to do the same for others.
I want people to grow while they’re on our team. Plus, I want to help them discover their gifts, develop their leadership, and find the place where they can make their greatest contribution. I’ve told countless people – sitting in my office – When you look back at your career twenty years from now, I want this office to be a positive part of your story. That’s my legacy.
Sometimes that place will be right where they are. But sometimes it will be somewhere else.
And I’m okay with that.
In fact, I’d much rather someone include me in the process of figuring out their next opportunity than feel they have to hide it from me. That helps me and our team as much as it helps them.
Once they feel safe enough to have that conversation, I can actually help them. I can be a sounding board, help them process opportunities, make connections, or serve as a reference.
But I also recognize there are some realities to leading this way.
1. It will be awkward at times.
Once someone tells you they’re considering leaving, things change a little.
They’ve essentially admitted they have one foot out the door.
You still have a job to do together. They’re still part of the team. You still need them fully engaged in their current responsibilities.
And you may not know whether they’ll be there six months from now. (It’s taken a year or more at times.)
That creates some tension. I’ve learned to live with it.
2. There will be emotions involved.
Especially when the person loves the team and the team loves them.
They may be excited about a new opportunity and sad about leaving at the same time. (BTW, I usually hold this information in confidence between me and the other person.)
As a leader, I may be excited for them and disappointed about losing them.
Both can be true.
I’ve found it’s better to acknowledge those emotions than pretend they don’t exist.
3. They may go back and forth.
I’ve seen this happen numerous times.
Someone feels confident it’s time to move on. Then an opportunity doesn’t materialize. They have a great week at work or begin thinking about what they’ll miss.
Suddenly they’re not so sure.
And that’s understandable. Career decisions are rarely as simple as they appear.
But I’ve also found that once someone has mentally committed to leaving, it can be difficult to return to normal. Sometimes I’ve even had to remind people of what they told me they wanted.
Not to push them out the door, but to help them remember why they started considering a change in the first place.
4. Occasionally, it will get difficult.
Most of these experiences have been positive. A few haven’t.
Sometimes expectations change. The process often takes longer than either of us anticipated. Occasionally, someone mentally checks out before they actually leave.
And when that happens, I still have a responsibility to the rest of the team and the organization.
Helping someone find their next opportunity doesn’t mean ignoring their current responsibilities. There still have to be healthy expectations and honest conversations.
But those few difficult experiences haven’t changed my philosophy.
I’d rather lead with an open hand than try to hold on to people who are ready for something else.
I don’t own the people I lead. I’ve simply been given the privilege of investing in them for a season.
Of course, I want great people to stay. We work hard to create an environment where they can thrive, grow, and want to remain for a long time. But I also know that not every season lasts forever.
And if I can help someone take their next step, even when it means losing a valuable team member, I consider that part of my responsibility as a leader.
The greatest compliment someone can give me isn’t necessarily that they stayed on my team for years. Sometimes it’s that their time on our team helped prepare them for what came next.
