Should You Stay or Should You Go?
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” ~ Lewis Carroll
In my role as an executive coach and consultant, I talk with a lot of leaders. They come from a wide variety of industries and geographies, from small companies to Fortune 100 firms. And by far, the single biggest theme I am hearing is perfectly summed up in this quote from a sales leader:
“Honestly, I really like the people I work with but the company itself has become the biggest obstacle to my own work. And I am just tired of it.”
?It’s a conversation that I am having more and more with people like you. Leaders and employees alike are stuck in environments where execution is broken, and frustration is mounting.
It’s no wonder that the supporting workplace data is so damning:
If all of this sounds all too familiar, you are not alone.
And as a leader, you’re likely facing this moment of reckoning: Should I stay and try to fix this, or is it time to move on?
The truth is, this is not an easy decision. Staying can feel like fighting an uphill battle, while leaving can feel like giving up. I have faced this dilemma personally numerous times over the years.
But before you decide, ask yourself these five questions. They will reveal whether your organization is worth your energy - or if it’s time to move forward.
1. Is the vision clear and actionable?
Let’s start with the foundation: Does your organization know where it’s going? A clear and actionable vision is not just an inspirational statement on a PowerPoint slide. It’s a guiding framework that aligns strategy with execution, providing clarity for teams and leaders alike.
When a company’s vision is clear and actionable:
But if the vision is vague, constantly changing, or disconnected from reality, it’s a recipe for chaos. Leaders and teams will spin their wheels on conflicting initiatives, creating frustration and burnout.
Stay if: The vision is clear, and you see alignment across the organization.
Go if: The vision is non-existent or purely aspirational, with no concrete plan to execute it.
2. Does leadership support execution, not just strategy?
Great strategy is meaningless without execution. This is where many organizations fall flat - leaders talk about big ideas but fail to ensure they’re carried out effectively.
Execution support looks like this:
In unhealthy organizations, leadership remains detached, obsessed with strategy while leaving execution to flounder. Initiatives stall, resources go unused and/or wasted, and teams lose confidence in leadership’s ability to follow through.
Stay if: Leaders are genuinely invested in ensuring the strategy translates into action.
Go if: Leaders are disengaged from execution, leaving teams to fend for themselves.
3. Can you influence what’s broken?
Here’s a hard truth: not all problems are solvable from your position. As a leader, you must assess whether you have the authority, resources, and allies to fix what’s broken in your organization.
Ask yourself:
If the answer to these questions is “no,” then staying may leave you spinning your wheels in frustration. But if you see opportunities to make meaningful changes, you may be able to create a breakthrough.
Stay if: You have the ability and support to address the underlying issues.
Go if: Your influence is consistently ignored or undermined, and change feels impossible.
4. Is the culture conducive to action?
Execution doesn’t just depend on strategy; it thrives - and dies - on culture. A culture that values accountability, collaboration, and learning creates an environment where execution can flourish. Conversely, a culture of blame, siloes, and the fear of failure suffocates progress.
Key indicators of a healthy culture include:
领英推荐
If the culture is toxic, even the best strategies and intentions will be thwarted. And while culture can be influenced, it’s one of the hardest things to shift without senior leadership’s full commitment to addressing the very factors that create culture.
Stay if: The culture supports action and accountability, even if it needs some fine-tuning.
Go if: Toxic behaviors like finger-pointing and/or siloed thinking dominate the organization.
5. Do you still believe in the mission?
At the end of the day, this may be the most personal question. Leadership is hard work, and it takes passion and belief to sustain your energy. If you’ve lost connection to the company’s mission, staying can feel like an endless grind.
Ask yourself:
If the answer is yes, then there’s a reason to stay and fight for what matters. But if the mission no longer resonates, and your passion has faded, it may be time to move on.
Stay if: You believe in the mission and want to be part of its success.
Go if: The mission no longer aligns with your personal values and aspirations.
The Bottom Line
Deciding whether to stay or go is never easy. It requires an honest assessment of both your own organization and yourself. The five questions above provide a framework to help you evaluate your situation and make a confident decision.
Mirror moment: Take the time to reflect on these questions honestly. Your answers may surprise you.
And remember, leaving doesn’t mean failure, just as staying doesn’t mean success. The key is to align your leadership energy with an environment where it can have the greatest impact.
So, what do you see when you look at your organization? Can you help fix what’s broken, or is it time to find a place where you can thrive?
Holomua. Onward and upward.
An extra thought:
“Decisions determine destiny.”
~ Frederick Speakman
In case you missed it...
High-performing leaders make THESE 3 shifts: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/timohai_leadership-mindset-highperformingteams-activity-7272738629326651392-bCeB?
An important mirror moment: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/timohai_selfawareness-motivation-todaysmirrormoment-activity-7273401033429590016-i2c2?
The initial launch pricing (50% off) is going away at the end of this month on my masterclass: https://timohai.com/masterclass/
Here's what I have been consuming...
The MOST important topic in the discussion around AI: https://www.druckerforum.org/blog/the-only-code-that-matters-is-integrity-not-intelligenceby-hamilton-mann/
Glassdoor’s Worklife Trends 2025 report: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/worklife-trends-2025/#OnTheHorizon
The art of asking smarter questions: https://hbr.org/2024/05/the-art-of-asking-smarter-questions
When you are ready, here are a few ways for us to continue your journey together.