One of my friends told me last evening that finding a right employer is even more important than finding a right husband! She is looking for the 'right' organization to work with. Well, if you are lucky like her and can wait till you find a perfect match, please do that. But if you are working and wondering whether you are in a right organization or not, let me try to help you decide your future with your organization. These are my personal views and may not apply to the organization I am currently working for.
Step 1: "The problem of plenty"
Check what your organization is doing. Is it focused on doing right thing or trying to do things right? Are they exploring many possibilities like a novice or pursuing few like an expert? Does the decision making in your organization requires more than three people's participation?
Focus is the key my dear friend!
Step 2: "The circle of time"
Check how your organization revert to customers' or your requests. The time it takes to attend to the request you made to upgrade your computer. The time it takes to clear suppliers' payments and so on.
In today's business swiftness matter - this doesn't mean that the organizations should decide things in a jiffy but they should have the capabilities and resources to adopt to the changes faster and quicker. They should have the ready knowledge to decide what is best for the organization and make quick decisions.
Step 3: "There is no money for you"
Check how your organization is treating your department. Why there is always a budget crunch when it comes to expanding your business or product line? Why there is always a CFO checking a balance sheet to allocate resources to you? When you are doing work of three people for no fault of yours. Only your department has empty chairs while many other departments in your organization have plenty of people just to warm the chairs?
In today's world if you want to grow, you need to invest in the business, invest in passionate people and never ever your investments should be connected to the income. Your investment should be connected to the market dynamics and business potential of the unit.
Step 4: "Your boss lives in past"
Check what kind of bosses you have. Are they the ones who live in the past and always talk about their glorious past? Are they updating their knowledge and being relevant to the business or just there because of the legacy they have created over a period of 10-15-20 years. Does your boss know the other industry guys and being respected by them? Does he have enough enthusiasm to take you along and courage to stand up for the team?
Darwin's theory of evolution applies to business managers and CEOs more than anybody else. If you see no evolution over a period of one year, its time to call your head hunting agency.
Step 5: "You are stupid"
Check whether you are stupid enough to work with someone who doesn't believe in teamwork. Are you in an organization where few who sits next to boss are intelligent and others are stupid? Are you working in a company, where there is only 'I am' (my client, my business, my product, my service) is the buzzword.
Don't start believing that you are smarter. But at least, believe in you that since you have decided to work in this field it means that you have prepared yourself for it and have some proven abilities/capabilities and that's the reason you have been hired. So, when you start feeling 'stupid', its a time to call your....
I think these five step check is enough to begin with. You are free to add few more steps.