151
When the Best Strategy Is to Move On

Sometimes your company’s culture clashes with your values, particularly a culture that tolerates such things as incompetence or bullying. When the culture won’t adapt to accommodate your values it’s time to move on. Try to take the decision to leave out of the emotional realm. If you become tangled in your emotions, you will feel selfish for leaving a good job. Sit down and list the reasons for going and for staying. Base your decision on the cold hard numbers.

You’re not the first person to leave a job because of difficult coworkers, and you will not be the last. Difficult colleagues and managers are two big reasons that people flee companies. If the company’s culture breeds boorish behavior toward women or minorities, it’s time to move on. If despite your protests to management, a foe resumes inappropriate behavior toward you it’s time to leave and seek redress from the outside.

Having to fight the same battle repeatedly is a sign that you’re working in an environment that clashes with your values. As your last act, you should draw up an exit strategy.