I’ve watched people in organizations – in government, business, nonprofits, and, sadly, far too often in the church — some leaders (people) simply stay too long. Leader, leave before you have to leave.
Does that sound cruel for me to say? I certainly don’t mean it to. Yet, some leaders simply stay beyond their welcome. Beyond their usefulness. And beyond their ability to make an impact and leave a positive legacy.
At the same time, I’ve known some people – and some strong leaders – that left when thing were going really well. They could have stayed longer, but they wanted to transition out during a good season. That always seems to work better, in my observation.
So, I have some advice:
Leave before you have to leave
- When you are tired of attempting to attain the vision – or have a competing vision
- If you can’t support the senior leadership – publicly or privately
- When you have no heart left to give the organization – and that’s okay to admit
- If you consistently struggle to stay motivated – if coming to “work” is a chore – everyday
