For many people, working in a large corporation fulfils their ambitions. They climb the ladder to a successful position where their abilities are recognised and used, and where they feel they are playing a key role.
But what happens if you start to feel stuck? What if the corporate culture around you no longer feels right for you, and might even be holding you back?
In a positive situation, success feeds more success, but in a negative one, the more stuck you start to feel, the more your performance can suffer.
Melinda Beckett-Hughes, business and life coach and founder of Ayuda explains how these feelings of being stuck can arise, and what you should consider doing to address them.
Pros and Cons
“Being part of something bigger has its pros and cons. The risk is, however, that you outgrow the culture you’re a part of and start to feel like you’re trapped there.”
People’s careers, and their attitudes towards them, evolve over time.
“Graduates, for example, may be looking at a large corporation as their ideal employer. There is the promise of more opportunities, more benefits linked to working there, and the promise of promotion and career development.”
“Working for a large corporation can mean that there will be more choice for a future career, if there is mobility between teams and departments, and physical work sites. However, some of the same corporate qualities can contribute to a negative feedback loop as a positive one.”
“Over time, you might start to feel that size is an issue, and that within the confines of a corporate culture your individual voice is stifled. Plus, there are usually many layers of bureaucracy to deal with daily. This sort of set-up can become a barrier to getting ideas into development.”
Freedom vs Security
It becomes a question of freedom versus security: do the negative aspects of corporate culture justify leaving it, or do its benefits outweigh its disadvantages?
“People can develop a love-hate relationship with corporate life, where they enjoy the benefits it brings but they feel increasingly disconnected from who they really are. ”
“They’re on a treadmill, and at the same time, there are pressures bearing down on them to do with the job”
What are the implications if you break away and start afresh, working for yourself or for a smaller business?
“You must work out what you’re searching for. If a greater sense of autonomy and authenticity overrides being part of something big, and the benefits that go with it, then you might consider a change.”
A more intimate setting has its appeal. It can mean, quite literally, there are no barriers, where you’re in a room with others, collaborating closely. Or, it can be about striking out on your own, creating a different work persona based on your own business concept.
“It’s about having a sense of purpose. This applies whether you’re working on your own, in a startup or part of a larger body.”
“If you let this govern you, it should help you make the decision you need to make about your future,” concludes Melinda.
If you need help in successfully navigating through a change in your life, please contact Ayuda, in the strictest confidence:
- Phone 0800 612 2611
- Visit ayuda-group.com
- Connect on LinkedIn
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