The change is inevitable and constant; it is a part of our life. Sooner or later, we have to accept the change. 13 years ago, I joined a small IT organisation of around 100 people, as a developer. I have grown with the organisation; a 40 times growth journey. I really thank the organisation for giving me opportunity, and transforming me, what I am today. Now, the time has come to accept a change, and start a new journey. I am writing this post to share my point of view about, when to accept the change.

When to change the organisation?

Intention behind this post is not to answer this question, but to address, what you get and what you lose while staying long in the same organisation. I have also taken inputs from many senior folks who joined us or left us after the long stay. You may have different opinion. Please ignore this post incase, it hurts your sentiments in any way. When to change is really an individual’s choice. If you are aware of the pros and cons of staying long, then you may probably work on the cons and stay relevant even longer, or don’t change at all.

What do you get?

When you join a small software organisation and stay long, say more than 10 years, and grow with the organisation’s pace, you get following which keeps you attached to the same organisation

• You are tried and tested - You become a tried and tested resource of the organisation, many stakeholders may like to take you in their group. You don’t need to prove every-time to get into any nice opportunity in the organisation.
• You know the beats - Every organisation grows in its own style and nurture its own culture. You know the beats of the organisation, you know how the X thing is done in a certain way, you know the history. At time you become a consultant for many things in the organisation. People believe in your inputs, you become an encyclopaedia of org information. Since you have participated in almost every things, you see yourself in every part of organisation, be it hiring, training, process or the system.
• Breadth and Depth - You may get chance to work on different departments and chance to setup groups and lead multiple initiatives. This gives you a chance to gain the breadth and depth, and a rich experience to lead the organisation.
• Attractive role and appreciations - You may be working on really attracting role at even lessor experience in terms of years. You may be recognised and appreciated well.
• Emotional connect - After these many years, your relationship with organisation is no more a professional but it becomes an emotional one. Organisation becomes a family, and you will have a lots of friends.
• Comfort zone - You are in your comfort zone, and can work very confidently in the same zone.
• Stability - Industry may see you as a stable resource, who don’t change too often.

What do you lose?

Staying long will accumulate following, and you may keep building on top of these, unknowingly. You may work to overcome these and stay prepared to go even longer in the journey.

• Lack of diversity - Since you have worked in the same organisation for such a long period, you start thinking that certain things can happen only in a certain way. These certain things could be dealing with processes, people, resource and even technology solutions. You know the things well, which worked well and which not for you in that organisation. Thinking beyond your area of easy imagination does not come obvious. It may start blocking your path and at time may become frustrating.
• Resistant to the change - After staying so long, you become resistant to the change in the processes, people and the system. It becomes hard to accept the change, if that is not according to you.
• Out of comfort zone - It becomes difficult to work beyond your comfort zone. You may start running away from the situation, which takes you out the comfort zone. Risk taking capability may also reduced, as you worked in really safe and secure zone for long. You may have not learned to deal with the failures, and have not been exploited and exposed well since long. We learns well when we get exposed time to time.
• You are for granted - You may be treated for granted by your peers of similar experience and by management, they know all the pluses and minuses of yours, as you have grown in front of them. They may use you the way they want and wherever they want. It will be hard to change the perception of people around you. You may also be a target for the new comers, as they don’t really know the history and achievements that you might have.
• Energy and satisfaction - After so many years, you may not have the energy to fight against the changes, which may kill the culture you are addicted to. Remember that change is necessary, to scale the organisation, to sustain and to go beyond the barriers, but you might not be aligned with the changes. You may not be satisfied with the situations and with what you get. In such a situation, you start creating a negative environments, which is not good for both you and your organisation.
• Confidence in Industry - as the years progress, jobs become limited at your level. Market outside may not be ready to accept you, in the way you are, you need to adapt to the need outside. You come to know your value and level, only when you try outside. If you keep trying outside time to time, you gain lot of confidence, and that can help in your current job as well.

Conclusion

I have shared pros and cons of a long stay in the same IT organisation, it may help you in identify the losses you are accumulating year by year after certain years. You may plan to overcome the losses, and stay useful to the same organisation you are in, or take the next step.

It is originally published at My LinkedIn Profile