Not Greener - Just a Different Shade

I was thinking about my career this evening. For most of my twenty-one years there my upper management team was able to keep me motivated. They had the tools at their disposal and the ability to use them. For my hard work I was well rewarded with faster than average salary increases, awards, invitations to conferences, stock options, promotions. I was moved to Toronto and back to Vancouver, I was trained. All of this made me want to bust my ass and I believed in the company. I did well, I was respected and therefore I was happy.

Then it all changed. The tools were still there, described in the various HR manuals, but my upper management team could no longer use them. All that was left to motivate me were kind words. I knew that there was nothing more that they could do, as my own hands were tied with my employees, but it began to eat away at me. Why should I bust my ass and not be rewarded? How much can one look within for motivation?

Let's be frank....most of us do not work in our field because of a passion for it. We choose it because we think we can earn a decent wage and be rewarded for our hard, honest work. Those of us who are more competitive, more driven, try to excel and stand out with our results so that we can benefit from above average compensation and challenges.

It took two years or so for the corp to kill my previous nineteen years of passion for the company. To change my view completely. While I may have changed over the years I can be honest that if I had continued to see opportunity for decent salary increases, bonuses, options, for advancement and growth I most probably would have stuck around. It took the corporation two years to get one of its better employees to quit - me. Yes I won't be modest here. I truly believe that.

Employees and employers are involved in a partnership. One works hard and expects results (compensation) at above market growth (ie....increase my share of the total salary pie). The other pays well and expects results that are above average so that their products and services can gain market share. If one of the two breaks this the partnership crumbles...quickly.

So now I am looking for employment. I don't believe that grass is necessarily all that different elsewhere. When you look at fields from thousands of feet up they just look green. But when you drop down and look at the details the greens are indeed different - some are darker, some lighter - none greener though. The blades of grass are more or less coarse. Some are wider others narrower. So now I need a change. I need to play in a different field. Smell new plants, new flowers, new dirt, new manure. Find something that will ignite my passion again....and reward me for it.

Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!