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The “Why I want to leave” list
A Professional’s guide to self-awareness
We’ve all been there — that moment when we realize our current professional situation isn’t quite what we hoped for. As a seasoned professional, I’ve developed a practical approach to tracking my job satisfaction and organizational health: the “Why I want to leave” list.
Every time I join a new company, I start with a blank document titled “Why I Want to Leave.” Counter-intuitive? Perhaps. But this list serves a dual purpose — it not only tracks potential issues but also becomes a powerful input for setting my objectives as an engineering manager. The list begins completely empty, a fresh canvas waiting to be filled. As I encounter issues that concern me or areas that could be improved, I document them one by one. The goal isn’t to compile reasons to quit, but rather to build a backlog of problems that need solving and improvements to make. Each item becomes a potential objective I can tackle in my role. If I can address these issues faster than new ones arise, I know I’m making meaningful progress. However, if the list grows faster than solutions appear, it helps me prioritize where to focus my management efforts or indicates that a broader organizational change may be needed.
This list also serves as a barometer for measuring organizational health and improvement over…
