First, those who call it “The Great Resignation” are wrong. Nearly two-thirds of the 69 million people in the U.S. who left their jobs in 2021 (and we’re on the same pace in 2022) did not quit – as much as they chose a better path forward.
According to experts, employees who are making changes can no longer stand their current boss, the organizational culture or they are seeking greater work-life integration.
In other words, these employees finally said: enough. I want a greater experience than the one my current employer can provide.
This massive shift in workplace dynamics is not a resignation. This is the period of great renewal. The era has finally arrived where more than just the fringe insists on a work experience that provides greater meaning.
What do you do, however, if you’re unable to renew your work experience by finding a new job?
A large part of the answer lies in demonstrating your natural authority. It remains a fact that the empowered employee is at first a worker who seizes power. And not a control over others, but a power to make the decisions that shape the experience and outcomes prioritized by the employee.
My experience: Employees are more empowered than they are willing to admit…because acting empowered means dealing with the consequences of your decisions. Therefore, it is easier to complain or create the illusion that they are not empowered.
Are you making the decisions that put you in a position to experience greater meaning in your work? If you don’t, no one else will.
Join the great renewal.
P.S. Stacey Engle, the Founder of Authority Lab™, is an expert at equipping employees to demonstrate their natural authority. I’m thrilled Stacey has agreed to be our guest on the next Collaborative Leader’s Huddle, on Thursday, April 28 at 11:00am ET. In 50 unscripted and raw minutes, we will explore steps you can take to create more meaning in your work without resigning. You can register for free here.
