It’s tough at the top especially if you don’t want to be there!

When I joined my Family Business it started out as great fun, the business was growing fast and to keep pace with the changes in the business we had to be creative and push some boundaries. I particularly liked to problem solve and got stuck in and take charge whenever there was something that needed sorting out, it was when I most enjoyed my work.

As time went by I was trusted more and more to take a problem area of the business and come up with a solution that worked for the business. Inevitably this then lead to more responsibility for the day to day running of the business because my actions indicated I wanted to take charge. This continued until one day I ended up in the position that I was making the majority of the decisions.

For a while this wasn’t a problem, it felt daunting but anything that is new generally does until you get used to it. I invested in some training and support which gave me new skills that helped me understand my role better but I wasn’t enjoying work like I used to.

It wasn’t until we had sold the business that I realised what had gone wrong. My key motivators, innovating and being part of the team, were not being met and my lowest driver, being in a position of authority, was what I spent most of my time doing. The combination of theses two factors meant that getting out of bed in the morning was becoming difficult, everything felt like a chore and I felt trapped in a role I didn’t want.

If you have found yourself in a role that frankly doesn’t float your boat you may not be aware of your key drivers and how they are being met. Your time at work is important for your well being and needs to be taken as seriously as your health. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-tough-top-especially-you-dont-want-mark-terrell