Comfort Zone: Leader/Guru

I left my first job after around 9 years. When our MD asked why I have decided to leave and my honest answer was "I am becoming too comfortable here. I want to see the outside world and force myself into an unknown territory". If I mentioned any other reasons/problems, I am sure he would have solved that. That happened when I resigned some years back due to some other personal/work-related issues, he called me to his room and he provided all the necessary help to solve all those issues and retained me. This time, when I mentioned that I would like to get out of my comfort zone, he looked deep into me with silence for some seconds, wished me to succeed, and mentioned if I want to return, I am always welcome.

Before my resignation, for some months, I was feeling discomfort in myself but I didn't know what was it. I was doing my executive MBA as well then. On a fine Saturday morning, there was a leadership lecture as part of MBA course. It was an unconventional lecture. The professor didn't teach any framework or tools. He asked us to shut down all our gadgets. When some folks in the class raised disagreement against this mobile shutdown, he said that we are not going to die without mobile phones. That session was like a philosophical class but he scratched our ego, beliefs, conventional thinking, and whatnot. In Indian thinking, we differentiate between Teacher and Guru. He was not a teacher in that session. He was a Guru in that session.

That session had a big impact on me. I thought over the remaining weekend and on Monday, I decided that I am going to take a medical break for a few weeks (i had some health issues as well then) and decide. After the current assignments, I took a break(didn't open laptop for the next few weeks) which was a fantastic time to think slowly, did a lot of yoga, watch movies, spend time with family, enjoyed food and etc.

I came back and resigned from the job with more clarity now. I felt confident to look beyond. Had the courage to accept the Moratorium on EMI, and the courage to inform my fiancee that I will be without a job for some months. We were just engaged and the marriage was arranged in a couple of months. The break also helped me to spend quality time with my wife.

If I look back now, I feel this is one of the great decisions taken in my life. It provided me with an opportunity to pivot my career and a lot of experiences after that.

Sometimes the trigger is created by situations and Nature is forcing us to come out of our comfort zone and explore the world with a different perspective and lens. The thing required is openness, courage, hard work to adapt, and patience.

As a leader, I have rigorously encouraged some of the best folks on my team to leave me, go out to face the new world, embrace struggles, become strong, and evolve as a greater personality for the greater good. Even after they leave, mentored/guided them to find their course. Sometimes letting go is the greatest quality/decision and it is not an easy one.