I didn’t write a post about what I wanted to achieve in 2023. On reflection, I’m quite sure it would not have been anything like what 2023 turned out to be.

We had the cyclone and floods. My work, supporting businesses and their staff impacted, was draining. We had the shootings in Queen St, Auckland where I had to help many companies navigate the impact on their teams. Draining.

Stagnation.

In April it became clear to me that I was utterly stagnant. My employer provided no opportunity for growth and development. No opportunity for training – upskilling myself to be better. Oh, in 2021 opportunities for growth were available but 2022/2023 saw these disappear. It also became clear that I no longer had a manager that gave a damn about me and my success in the business, and it became clear that my place of employment had fundamentally changed. It was no longer a safe place.

The work of my colleagues and I wasn’t acknowledged or validated. Pay rise? Sure, but half inflation. And less than the average percentage increase the company was proud of and promoting internally. Sends a message of value, right?

A key part of leadership is knowing when it’s time to go. And by the end of the year, I really needed to go. Staying any longer would negatively impact my legacy and would have turned me into that toxic guy. Which really isn’t me.

What’s interesting to me is that when I was most pissed off with everything work-related, the universe sent a recruiter into my LinkedIn messages. And here I am today, in a new role.

My 2024 reading. Last year, buried in the malaise of where I was, 2024 looked bleak.

A role change? 2024 is roses. I have positive challenges. Potential for growth.

My takeaway is that one doesn’t need to accept what is current. Create your options. Then execute.

I hope your 2024 is everything you want it to be.

^SJD