Question from a CRM Director

October 13, 2023

Question from a CRM Director: Should I stay at my end-user company or move to consulting? 🤔

I had a really good discussion not too long ago, and I thought it useful to share it here.

My response to her that just like any life decision, what you should do next depends on:

1️⃣ Self awareness:
Really knowing who you are and what you love and what you really dislike (hate is such a strong word)

2️⃣ Current constraints and obligations:
The things you must do in your life as a minimum – take care of an ailing family member, childcare as a single parent, bills and debts that must be paid…

3️⃣ What you’re willing to sacrifice:
Sleep, security, freedom (if only temporary)

That’s why I am not a proponent of ‘Follow your passion’ dooda. 🙄
At least not at the start.
I cannot ‘follow my passion’ to be an elite flamenco dancer no matter how many 10,000’s hours of practice if I only have one leg. 💃🏻
Or if I need to make my mortgage (is a one-legged flamenco dancing champion a thing?!). 💸

Big decisions require rational, deep thinking to ensure an optimal path.

Whenever someone comes to me with a career dilemma like this, I ask the following:

🍩 Why do you want to change? Why now?
🍩 Where do you want to get to?
🍩 What’s stopping you from getting there?
🍩 What’s your priority?
🍩 What are you willing to sacrifice?
🍩 If you have obligations that cannot be sacrificed right now, what can you do in the meantime?

For us in #ProjectManagement, decision making is something we have to do every day. Not only that but we need to be able to justify the decisions we make, which means we make it a practice to ask ourselves the above questions all the time.

We are kind of like a #LifeCoach, but for projects. 😁

In this case, I seem to be transitioning into #CareerCoach and #ProjectManagementCoach and #SalesforcePartnerCoach… 😮
People have been approaching me for all sorts of things!

Anyway what do you think?
Would you move to consulting if you’re currently Big Cheese in your end-user company?

#OnThePeiroll