Valuing Courage over Security

I once read an article about valuing courage over security.  I was struck by this article that most people, time after time, placed more value on security over just about everything in their lives.  In today’s world, you can hardly pick up a newspaper or watch and/or listen to a news show without the knowledge that we are highly focused on security first, security over freedom and everything else.

Think about the things in your life that you “put up with” because you at least have security in it; marriage, job, government, your community, the list goes on and on about how we sacrifice almost everything in the name of security.

I once lost a job (got fired, ok, there I said it).  The truth is that after I got over the initial shock, I was actually relieved.  Why?  Because I realized that I had spent the last several years trying to improve my rut in that job rather than getting out of the rut and finding something better.  Again why?  Because of the security of what I knew as opposed to the fear of what else was out there.

This taught me a valuable lesson.  Have the courage to step out from the security of what you have and look for other opportunities.

This does not only apply to your job but to everything in your life.  Taking an even broader look at this issue of courage over security, think about all the freedoms we are sacrificing in the name of security.  Not to get into a political discussion here, this is mostly about the personal things you control, but Benjamin Franklin once said; He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.

As the article concluded; You must decide, once and for all, that it's more important for you to have the courage to do what you must to succeed, rather than to cling to the things that make you feel safe.  What will you do?

David (Mac) McElhaney, Managing Partner
Global Recruiters of Huntsville

102 Clinton Ave, West

Suite 201

Huntsville, AL 35801

Phone: 256-533-1444 Ext 201

Fax: 256-418-4485

Mobile: 407-341-4462

dmcelhaney@grnhuntsville.com

www.grnhuntsville.com

What's that Smell?

The marketplace has clearly shifted to a candidate driven market.  What that means is that a lot of qualified people are on the move.  With all that activity and interest in you, it is easy to overlook some very critical, very obvious things (conditions) that can make your new move, your “great” new job a disaster.

One of those critical factors, perhaps the most critical of factors is the culture of the organization.  If you make a move into a new company with a culture that doesn’t match up with your style, you will struggle to keep your balance.

There are a number of key indicators that you should consider.  I’m reminded of an old Lynyrd Skynyrd song titled “What's that smell?”  Pay attention to the atmosphere in an organization.  You can “smell” a company when you are talking on the phone to someone inside the organization.  You can “smell” a company when you are sitting in the lobby, waiting for an interview.  When you are walking to the interview location, pay attention to how the people interact with each other.  Pay attention to the interviewer’s attitude toward you, the other people, the process itself.

Next, pay attention to the interviewer’s answers to your questions.  You should always go to an interview prepared to ask your own questions.  Remember that the interview process is a two-way street.  You are interviewing them as well.  Ask real, important questions and write down the answers.  These answers will serve you well as you review your day, compare one person’s answers to another in the organization and to judge the reaction of the answer given. 

Finally, your research into a company will give you some additional background and insight into the organization. 

All these indicators can be insights to the culture of the new company.  Pay attention to these subtleties and remember, you are planning to spend more time with this company than you do with your family.

David (Mac) McElhaney

Managing Partner
Global Recruiters of Huntsville

102 Clinton Ave, West

Suite 201

Huntsville, AL 35801

Phone: 256-533-1444 Ext 201

dmcelhaney@grnhuntsville.com