What do you do if your career goals don't align with the company's values?

If you truly want to grow and flourish in your career, it's essential to align your goals with the company's mission and vision. Here's what to do if you can't: - Reflect on personal values and career priorities. - Evaluate potential compromises or adjustments. - Seek open communication with supervisors or HR. - Explore opportunities within or outside the company. - Consider long-term implications for career satisfaction. - Make informed decisions aligned with personal values.

As the saying goes, "You're not a tree; you can move." It's important to recognize when a situation isn't serving your best interests or aligning with your values and take action to make changes. This could involve seeking new opportunities within the company, transitioning to a different role or department, or even exploring opportunities outside the organization. By being flexible and open to change, you can ensure that you continue to grow professionally while contributing positively to the company's objectives.

In professional life there will always be situations of conflict between your values and business objectives, many results are achieved with great sacrifices, be it time with family, health of your own body and often even spiritual, knowing how to align the spheres of your body , your soul and your spirit is the beginning for your emotional intelligence to be the protagonist in your decisions, whatever the decision you are going to make, always remember to evaluate your emotional inventory if it will really be able to support your mind to better decision making.

If you find that your career goals don't align with your company's values, you can feel like you're at a crossroad, so just reflect and clarify your own values and career goals. By considering what aspects of your work are most important to you and what you hope to achieve in your career, you will understand more effectively your own priorities and that will help you make informed decisions about your future. Using this situation as a learning opportunity for any career decisions that might appear, surely you will be better equipped to evaluate potential employers based on their values and how will they align with your own career goals. It’s very important to approach this situation thoughtfully and strategically...

In my professional experiences I have always looked for opportunities that align with my values, there have been situations in which I did not continue with the company, the best way to do this is by being authentic, seeking true dialogue, making your expectations clear to your superiors, most Conflicts are resolved when the two parties involved in the process agree!

Such misalignment often occurs due to a lack of adherence to ethical standards, poor leadership, or conflicting organizational priorities. For instance, consider the case of the global automotive company Volkswagen, which faced a scandal in 2015 for cheating on emissions tests. The company's deliberate mismanagement and unethical behavior not only violated regulatory standards but also betrayed the trust of customers and stakeholders. To address similar situations, start by assessing the extent of mismanagement, communicate concerns with management, and propose constructive solutions. If necessary, consider exploring other job opportunities that better align with your values and offer a healthier work environment.

Considering change to find better alignment with career goals and values, adopting a strategic and thoughtful approach is the key. Define what values, company culture, and career opportunities are important, and ensure you're moving toward a role that better fits your aspirations. You should do it professionally and respectfully, providing adequate notice, offering to assist with the transition, and expressing your gratitude for the opportunity, because leaving on good terms preserves relationships and maintains your professional reputation. Making a career change is a significant decision and can be a crucial moment in your professional life, always ensuring that the change is a good fit for professional goals and personal needs.

I've been in 12 different organizations, from sugar and alcohol to government bodies, and the lesson I've learned the most in my 25 years of profession is that we must always value good communication, even if this is not accepted from the beginning, let parties aware that there will be changes and that you will possibly not be part of the team shows maturity and a lot of empathy, the truth is that no one likes surprises that generate a lot of sudden changes, be subtle in your approach and show that you will always be seeking professional growth throughout the your journey.

Even though the current times are of disruption and change, short/medium term goals are still in the reckoning except for consistency. Hence once you have formulated those, then devise strategies and identify raw materials (continuous learning on/off the job and work assignments to build portfolio, raising the value bar to seek promotions and growth, crisis handling portfolio, leadership and transferrable skills for cross-domain career growth ...) to suit your objectives. Next, observe and analyze the company culture to the extent of being a partner in your journey eg whether the upline respects your aspirations and seeks to keep you in equilibrium with organization goals OR engages in a discussion to draw a middle path suited to both.