I have seen that lesson play out -- both in a positive and negative way -- at a few key points earlier in my career. Perhaps I will share more on those in another post. For now, let's focus on the last few months of 2010 as I was going through my latest career move -- a major move where I left a company that I had been with for a number of years. When the company offered a voluntary separation package, the element of being comfortable -- as comfortable as you can be in the corporate world these days -- was upended for me. It raised a number of questions (e.g., What was driving the company to offer this package? What follows a voluntary separation package? Should I take the package?) which forced me to move comfortable down in my priorities as I made the decision first to take the package and then to work through a career transition.
The result now a year in with a new position at a new firm is a great opportunity partnering with a major global function on a multi-year transformation initiative. I own delivery of all technology projects in one of the two largest programs within that transformation initiative. That, of course, comes with challenges. But aren't opportunity and challenge two sides of the same coin? The newness -- even a year in -- plus the program, project and organization challenges keep me learning, stretching and, honestly, uncomfortable.
Clearly comfortable remains lower on my list of priorities. As strange as it sounds, my goal is to keep it there. I recommend the same to you.
