Consulting is known for long work hours, lack of work-life balance, tedious work, and sometimes lack of meaning. Here are the 5 things you should know about consulting and disillusionment.
In this episode we discuss:
- What causes consultants to become disengaged or lose passion for their work over time?
- How do consulting firms try to engage and motivate their employees? Do these things work?
- What warning signs should consultants look out for that may indicate they are becoming disengaged?
- Are certain types of consulting roles or firms more prone to this than others?
- What should the cats on the ground do if they sense they're becoming disillusioned?
Key Highlights:
- Disillusionment begins when reality doesn't match expectations (9:00)
- Misalignment with values and life priority changes can also lead to disillusionment (14:15)
- Warning signs include apathy, irritation, fatigue (16:10)
- Lack of purpose, autonomy, work-life balance, not feeling valued causes issues (23:00)
- Steps to address: clarify values, assess root causes, change teams/projects, change industries (27:30)
5 Takeaways:
- Disillusionment in consulting careers can happen when reality doesn't match expectations, values are misaligned, or life priorities change over time. Early warning signs include apathy, irritation, disconnection, fatigue.
- Lack of purpose, lack of autonomy, poor work-life balance, not feeling valued, and not aligning with company culture can also lead to disillusionment.
- Steps to address disillusionment: clarify values, assess root causes, explore options like new teams, projects, sabbatical, industry roles. Catch issues early.
- To retain talent, companies should provide coaching/mentors, flexibility, continual growth opportunities. Fostering feelings of value and community also helps.
- If leaving a company, do it gracefully - don't burn bridges. Thank them and own that it's your decision to make the change. This preserves professional reputation.
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