Just as a brand needs clarification and communication — and this is a challenge most enterprises underwhelm — some individuals struggle and suffer in the workplace, working to “fit in.” As awareness is the threshold to constructive change, the suffering may intensify until you get on track, and yet the change can begin when one discovers the current culture is toxic.
Enterprise culture is most important. Without a fitting culture, one’s brilliance is governed, and one endures under-appreciation and humiliating rationalization about staying in that unfit place daily.
Life is a sport of choices. It’s all research! Recognize your choices.
1. One choice is to stay in a job and lead culture change. This will become, for your own development, one of the greatest leadership development labs you can experience. Caution: I strongly advise you to depart if you only are developing your coping skills.
2. When departing, or seeking a new job, make culture the top priority, and seek proof to balance your untested optimism. There are two paths:
2.a. Seek an organization with a fitting culture, one that will clearly support your brilliance. Do not trust cultures of adolescence. Seek proof that the culture is led by adults, and is wonderfully exemplary of socially worthy goals and core human values. I am referring to the current culture, not some florid description of a prospective ideal culture. Least of all, presume that hell will transform into Utopia because you join a culture of sociopaths.
2.b. Begin your own enterprise, careful to craft a culture that supports brilliance throughout the organization, in active and respectful collaboration with all stakeholders (e.g., shareholders, employees, vendors, customers and society).
Above all, do not “settle.” Given the crisis of leadership in the world, we all need you to become more effective in your leadership, worthy of being emulated, and clearly successful because you did and do the right thing.