When doors are closing.
It is a strange experience when doors are closing. Things are coming to an end. Often without anything to do with you and often before you are ready.
Or that is, it’s not because you did anything wrong. Particularly if you are a natural disruptor/entrepreneur/change agent. Sometimes the job is to agitate, shine the light — introduce new concepts, ways of being/operating and then move on.
In fact things can end, even when (and perhaps even because) you’ve done awesome work. There is a very real thing of a natural system (like a workplace) defaulting to protect itself. If you have disrupted this natural order, using your talents, perhaps demonstrating new ways of doing things or leading change in a direction the powers that be are not entirely comfortable with — constraints often will appear, opportunities will vanish and all of a sudden you will not have enough information and often the authorisation to do your job. The system, and the key agents were not yet ready — and they want to regain control.
Doors close. This is what happens. It is not a necessarily bad thing — depending on your contract and how you view the arrangement it may be simply time to shift your energy elsewhere. If you are a consultant it’s probably time to pack your bags. It doesn’t mean that there is ill will, or that you won’t be asked back. It is simply that the pace of change was disruptive, and those at the helm need to reacclimatise and recreate the equilibrium they are comfortable with — by regaining control.
But what about when you are employed and had hopes of remaining long term? Do you persevere, regroup and refocus your efforts? Yes you do in my book — at least for a few cycles (although there are exceptions). Workplaces whilst being systems that seek to maintain themselves and the comfort of the many — also evolve. The shift of a key agent or leader can adjust the readiness for change significantly — although often not without a major restructuring.
The flip side is that when doors close you are forced to look for other options. And if you have been committed to the doing the good work you will look around and find open doors everywhere.
