Making Environment Changes - Fraught with risk
I'm glad it worked out for you.
Maybe I'm just unlucky, incompetent, or have poor people skills but I've been part of 5 different organizations over the last 6 years. The situations were remarkably similar in each of them.
DISCLAIMER
Admittedly I was totally burned out, emotionally unhealthy, and exceedingly cynical and disillusioned with technology and its management in corporate environments when I left the first of those 5 organizations. I've struggled with what could probably be termed a professional identity crisis ever since.
With that said, I tried changing my environment each time I realized I was in for more of the same garbage I experienced at organization #1. Finally, I ended up with a situation worse than ALL of the others combined.
I was with my last organization for 4 years. We went through 3 CIO's and 2 extended periods with no leadership what-so-ever. Technology had been so mismanaged there was no easy solution to the relatively low cost/benefit of having an in house IT department. I thrive on these kinds of situations as long as there is ACTIVE executive level support. And prior to accepting the position, I interviewed my employer about roles, responsibilities, expectations, the environment's challenges, and executive support for our change strategy.
The bottom line is that they lied through their teeth about almost everything. The environment became toxic - everyone feared for their jobs. At last, a new CIO came in (I'm sure he had a mandate to "clean up" the IT mess) and started axing people and replacing them with his buddies. My original role became irrelevant and I ended up doing something that was both a backward career move and something I absolutely hated.
It all came to a head when I was asked to mislead our stakeholders regarding unresolved system issues that would impact their jobs. I not only refused, during a presentation to the stakeholders I aired some of the critical issues.
Post presentation, I immediately left for organization paid, out of state training. I extended my stay and went to Disneyland with my family. When I returned, I was informed I was no longer on the project (I was relieved) and 5 days later I was informed they were eliminating my position and my services would no longer be needed (again, I was totally relieved).
I am currently unemployed (18 weeks) but happier and more content than I've been in probably 8 years.
The moral of the story is that changing environments may have you jumping from the frying pan into the fire. And let me tell you, that sucks!
BTW: I also realize that when there are negative situations it isn't somebody else's fault. Each of us has to look at our own actions and reactions to identify personal things that need to be changed in our own lives. Take responsibility for our part of the problem.
Anyway - Cheers and Congratulations!
