• Contact
  • My Account
  • Log In
  • 0Shopping Cart
thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • About
  • Services
  • eLearning
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Clients
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Build your skills! Take our eLearning courses on TITAN!

World-class eLearning courses with videos, exercises, downloads, and a certificate of completion. Get started today!

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Structured Thought and Communication
Strategic Business Planning
Principles of Chart Design eLearning Course
Engagement Management
Deliberate Decision Making
Breakthrough Innovation
Everything is Negotiable
Leading through Change
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Building Leadership Resilience
Compelling Executive Presence
Coaching for Impact
Building Personal Resilience
Building Personal Resilience
Wide Banner SPS
Wide Banner STC
Wide Banner SBP
Wide Banner PCD
Wide Banner ENM
Wide Banner DDM
Wide Banner BTI
Wide Banner EIN
Wide Banner LTC
Wide Banner SFL
Wide Banner SFS
Wide Banner BLR
Wide Banner CEP
Wide Banner CFI
Wide Banner BPR
Wide Banner TMM
previous arrow
next arrow

Is it Time for You to Quit Corporate America?

September 23, 2013/13 Comments/in Career, Entrepreneur /by Mike Figliuolo

Man Jumping Off CliffToday’s post is by Paul Smith, thoughtLEADERS instructor and author of Lead With a Story.

“Why would a director in good standing at Procter & Gamble leave after 20 years, too young for retirement, and without another corporate job to land in?”

That’s the question I’ve been getting non-stop since I announced I was leaving P&G last month. It’s not unusual to see corporate-types job hop from one company’s corner office to another. But here I was leaving one of the oldest and most prestigious companies in the world to do something as uncertain and unstable as being a full-time author, speaker, and trainer.

“Why on Earth wouldn’t you just stick around for another 9 or 10 years and retire comfortably, then go play around with this stuff?

It’s a fair question. And that’s why it took me several months of agonizing to finally pull the trigger. But my reasons were sound. And since so many people asked – and on the off chance there are others out there wondering what it would take for them to leave the safety of their corporate womb – I’ll share my conclusions.

After much soul searching, I settled on three criteria that could compel me to take the leap:

1. Work I’m truly passionate about. Let’s face it. Not many people actually hate their job, or they wouldn’t work there. But I think equally few people really love their job. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. We like our work. We like the people we work with. But they call it ‘work’ for a reason. If it were fun, we’d call it something else.

Most people in a corporate environment do pretty much the same thing. We go to meetings, respond to emails, go to more meetings, and struggle with the latest budget cut. Oh, and did I mention go to meetings? Compared to toiling in the fields to grow our own food like our ancestors, office work today is a pretty good gig. But few consider it the kind of exciting, inspiring enterprise that you jump out of bed each day excited to dig into.

But I learned something important about myself through the process of writing a book. Apparently, I really love writing! I found myself so impatient for the one hour a night I had set aside for writing that sometimes I cheated. I’d sneak in 30 minutes at 6am before I was even out of my pajamas, or squirrel away for a few minutes in a closet somewhere at work over my lunch hour.

But the best part was talking about it. I learned that at heart, what I really am is a teacher. I absolutely love standing in front of an audience and sharing the incredible wisdom and inspiring stories I’ve collected from the hundreds of leaders I’ve had the privilege to work with or interview as part of my research.

2. Work I can excel at.  You’d think if P&G let me stick around for 20 years, through a handful of promotions and a half-dozen relocations, I must have been doing something right (and hopefully that’s true). But I had to admit to myself, compared to my peers I was only average at my job. Coming to work every day to be average is so very . . . average. Wouldn’t it be better to be in a line of work you can excel at?

And that’s exactly the kind of feedback I was getting from my readers and audience members in my speeches and training courses. Sales of my book have exceeded all my expectations. It’s now in its fourth printing in the U.S., and has been published in five languages and available in dozens of countries around the world. And when I finish a speech, people stand and applaud (not exactly the reaction I got at the end of my weekly department meetings).

Conclusion: I was good at corporate America. But I think I can be great at this.

3. Work that makes a real difference in people’s lives. Sure, it sounds cliché. But that’s only because so few of us actually do work that makes a meaningful, positive, and tangible impact on other people. For most of us, our work is what we do to support ourselves and our family. Making an impact on the outside world is something we might do in our spare time, if we can ever find something called ‘spare time.’

What I found is that one of the greatest rewards an author gets for his or her work is to hear from readers. Each week through email, Twitter, Amazon reviews, blog posts, Facebook, or personal visits to the podium after a speech, I get to hear what people like about my book or how they felt after one of my training courses.  While you never tire of hearing any kind words about your work, what you live for are those moments where you realize you’ve made a life-changing difference for a total stranger.

For example, one gentleman told me that a story in my book gave him the inspiration to create a computer application to solve the problem posed in the story. He already had a working prototype, and had been approaching big companies as potential customers of his new product. The first thing he did on each sales call was tell the them that story from my book. At that point he had completed 5 sales calls, and he had 5 confirmed customers.

A more personal case in point, I recently posted a story I’m working on for my second book on a social media site. I got a response from a man I didn’t know saying, “Paul, I could never explain to you in words the impact your story had on me and my wife in the last 24 hours. So please suffice it for me to just say, ‘thank you for sharing it.’”

Now I’m not curing cancer, or rescuing children from human trafficking. But just the two examples above are among many that convince me that I can be a much more positive influence in people lives through my writing and teaching than I can have sitting behind a desk in a corporate office.

Those, then, are the three criteria that gave me all the rationale to make this seemingly crazy and costly decision.

So . . . What are you passionate about? What do you excel at? And what can you do to change the world and make a positive difference in people’s lives? Are you doing it already? If so, that’s great. If not, maybe it’s time for you to make a change, too.

Paul Smith– Paul Smith is a former director and 20-year veteran of the Procter & Gamble Company, and author of Lead with a Story: A Guide to Crafting Business Narratives that Captivate, Convince, and Inspire.  Paul is also the primary architect of a thoughtLEADERS course on Influencing through Storytelling and loves teaching every minute of it.

 

Photo: Boris Jumping Off Cliff, Prince Phillips Steps, Genovesa Island by Eric Chan

https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png 0 0 Mike Figliuolo https://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/logo.png Mike Figliuolo2013-09-23 07:02:072018-07-08 15:53:49Is it Time for You to Quit Corporate America?
13 replies
  1. Ramesh
    Ramesh says:
    September 23, 2013 at 9:59 am

    Awesome Paul. As someone who was lucky enough to work with you, I am so excited to read this!

    Reply
    • Paul Smith
      Paul Smith says:
      September 23, 2013 at 10:28 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Ramesh. No guts, no glory, right?

      Reply
    • Anonymous
      Anonymous says:
      September 24, 2013 at 2:09 pm

      YES…AWESOME!

      Reply
    • Debbie
      Debbie says:
      March 6, 2014 at 7:51 am

      This is precisely the type of comment that hold’s most people back and causes people to settle in their lives: “Why on Earth wouldn’t you just stick around for another 9 or 10 years and retire comfortably, then go play around with this stuff?

      People with this type of mindset don’t understand the value in Paul’s 3 points:

      Do work you are truly passionate about
      Do work you can excel at
      Do work that makes a real difference in people’s lives

      What is the cost to be paid to work at something that doesn’t fulfill you for another 10 years? 10 years, working 40 hrs/wk, is 20,800 hours. Working 10 years at something that doesn’t fulfill you is caused by the fear instilled in society that you need to work for a company in order to succeed. There is no thing today such as job security. Well done to Paul for following his passion and being the example others can follow!

      Reply
  2. Melissa
    Melissa says:
    September 24, 2013 at 8:23 am

    Thank you for sharing! Very inspirational and as with other blogs on ThoughtLeaders, great timing!
    Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Ron
    Ron says:
    September 24, 2013 at 1:32 pm

    Congratulations on making the leap Paul! I left the mother ship after 36 years to attend seminary. It was a scary decision, but one of the best I’ve ever made – and in some ways wish I had made earlier. It will be fun to watch you “spread your wings!” Best of luck!

    Reply
  4. Michelle
    Michelle says:
    September 24, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    Inspired by your story…..thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Tim
      Tim says:
      September 25, 2013 at 7:09 am

      I was exactly in the same place. Given the opportunity to pursue your passions everyone should jump at. It has proven to be a great opportunity for me as well. Best of Luck. Tim

      Reply
  5. Rajeev khanna
    Rajeev khanna says:
    September 25, 2013 at 10:01 am

    Really inspiring. Can you give us some tips to understand our hidden talent? You will agree many of our fellow colleagues are finding it difficult to explore their talents and are suffering.That is they are not doing things that they are best at. something they are passionate about it the way you have shared about yourself.

    Reply
    • Paul Smith
      Paul Smith says:
      September 27, 2013 at 8:03 pm

      Rajeev, I see an astonishing correlation between the things we’re good at, and the things we enjoy. The more you like something, the more you do it, and therefore the better you get at it. And the better you are at something, the more accolades and rewards you get for it, so the more you enjoy doing it. The feedback loop is powerful. Once you jump in, it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. But you have to have the courage to jump in first. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Debbie
    Debbie says:
    September 25, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Well done Paul, this is how you live a happy, fulfilled life!

    Reply
  7. Lynn
    Lynn says:
    September 25, 2013 at 11:39 pm

    So Paul, I’m not sure you were completely ‘self actualized’ if you thought you were “average” at P&G. You underestimated yourself. BUT if that’s what it took to get you to pursuing an energizing and passionate dream, then so be it.

    I’m right there with you brother!

    Let the adventures begin!

    Reply
  8. Julee
    Julee says:
    September 30, 2013 at 8:58 am

    I took the leap a few months ago and left a secure job at a respected university to start my own (completely unrelated) business. The number of “you did what?!?” looks that I have gotten since — well, let’s just say I’m out of fingers and toes to count with. I haven’t second guessed my decision but it sure was nice to see this entry as affirmation that, yeah, it’s ok to make bold moves. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and stories. You really do make a difference!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get free blog posts by email NOW!

It’s the best 5 minutes a week you can spend on your development.

Subscribe HERE!


All Contacts

Get new posts FREE via RSS!
Follow thoughtLEADERS on LinkedInFollow thoughtLEADERS on twitter
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
 

Check Out Our Courses

Our courses teach immediately applicable skills that have real impact on your business. From leadership to strategy and negotiation to conflict resolution, we have a broad set of course offerings that will drive immediate performance improvements.
OUR COURSES

Our Courses

Group of Business People Meeting
Puzzle Pieces
Glasses Looking Over Cityscape
Doors on a Wall
Cog Wheels
Man Reading Book
Fishing hook in the sea
Microphone in Lecture Hall
Charts on Blue Background
Wristwatch
Exploding Light Bulb
Man on Summit of Mountain
Lightning Bolts
Man Painting the Word Change on a Wall
Construction Cranes
Plant Growing in a Hand
High Performance Gears
Men Shaking Hands Closeup
Influence Definition
Sailboat at Sunset
Hanging light bulbs with glowing one isolated on dark blue background
Wagon Wheel
Executive Communications
Structured Problem Solving
Creating Leadership Maxims
Leading inside the Box
Deliberate Decision Making
Simple Strategic Planning
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Sales
Executive Presence
Principles of Chart Design
Time Management Mastery
Breakthrough Innovation
Leadership Resilience
Conflict Resolution
Leading through Change
Project Management Reality
Coaching for Impact
High Performing Teams
Everything is Negotiable
Leading with Influence
Building Personal Resilience
thoughtLEADERSHIP
Engagement Management
previous arrow
next arrow
 

eLearning Courses on TITAN

Structured Thought: Problem Solving
Puzzle Pieces
Structured Thought: Problem Solving

Clearly define a problem, scope all issues related to the problem, generate potential solutions, then analyze and select the best solution by using time-tested critical thinking methods and tools.

VIEW COURSE
Structured Thought and Communication
Group of Business People Meeting
Structured Thought and Communication

Craft clear and compelling recommendations that resonate with stakeholders. Get your ideas approved by using a proven method for delivering executive-level communications.

VIEW COURSE
Principles of Chart Design
Different Types of Line and Bar Charts
Principles of Chart Design

Create well-designed presentation charts that get your message across quickly and clearly to drive your audience to action. From data charts to concept charts, these methods help make your point.

VIEW COURSE
Engagement Management
Wagon Wheel
Engagement Management

Whether you’re an internal or external consultant or a project leader, learn proven methods, techniques, and processes to effectively lead consulting engagements that drive your client’s success.

VIEW COURSE
Strategic Business Planning
Cog Wheels
Strategic Business Planning

Use a straightforward and effective strategic planning process that shows how to craft a clear, compelling plan for your organization - not just one time, but on an ongoing basis year after year.

VIEW COURSE
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making

Make better, faster, and more effective decisions. Apply simple yet powerful decision making tools to define decision authority, manage risk, increase accountability, and drive execution.

VIEW COURSE
Everything is Negotiable
Men Shaking Hands
Everything is Negotiable

Become a better negotiator in all situations – from day to day interactions to hammering out large deals. Build the skills required to get what you want and strengthen relationships while you do.

VIEW COURSE
Breakthrough Innovation
Exploding Lightbulb
Breakthrough Innovation

Generate and select unique strategies that separate you from the competition. Construct bold and disruptive solutions then build and execute a plan for taking those strategies to market.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Leaders
Man reading stories from a book
Storytelling for Leaders

Create business stories that inspire people, build connections with your audience, and ultimately advance your organization's goals by using a repeatable, straightforward method.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople

Create and deliver stories that will take your sales efforts to the next level. Connect with and convince buyers in all situations using memorable stories. These stronger relationships drive more sales.

VIEW COURSE
Leading through Change
Leading through Change
Leading through Change

Lead your organization through the most challenging times using a proven change management process. Get people through the change and back to driving performance quickly and effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Building Leadership Resilience
Mountain Climbing Expedition
Building Leadership Resilience

Prepare your body and brain to be ready for and recover from your biggest challenges. Build approaches for overcoming stress, managing reactions to difficult events, and leading more effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence

Build your ability to connect with your audience and convey your ideas in a clear and resonant way. Create meaningful connections between you and your audience to build buy-in.

VIEW COURSE
Coaching for Impact
Plant Growing in a Hand
Coaching for Impact: Foundation Course

Coach employees for performance and development more effectively by helping them identify and pursue their own solutions. Create the right environment and conditions to help them grow.

VIEW COURSE
Building Personal Resilience
Boat at Sunset
Building Personal Resilience

Build the habits and learn the behaviors required to manage stress, deal with adversity, and maintain your physical and mental wellbeing. Personal resilience is a key to your ongoing success.

VIEW COURSE
Time Management Mastery
Watches
Time Management Mastery

Learn techniques to manage your time, delegate, say “no,” and be more efficient. Balance your limited supply of time with the overwhelming demands that are placed on you every day.

VIEW COURSE
previous arrow
next arrow

Books You MUST Read

The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story
Lead with a Story
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
The Three Commitments of Leadership
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
The Inner Matrix book
The Vision Code
The Most Unlikely Leader
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
The Elegant Pitch
One Piece of Paper by Mike Figliuolo
Lead Inside the Box
10 Stories Great Leaders Tell
Getting Ahead
Sell with a Story - Border
Lead with a Story
Leading from Your Best Self
Mastering Communication at Work
The Hook
Innovative Leadership Fieldbook
Innovative Leaders Guide to Transforming Organizations
20120318 Three Commitments
Leadership Vertigo
The Littlest Green Beret
Storytelling in the Land of Oz
The Camino Way
Hijacked by Your Brain
Outthink the Competition
Driving Innovation from Within
The Voice of the Underdog
The Inner Matrix
The Vision Code
The Most Unlikely Leader
The Leader with a Thousand Faces
previous arrow
next arrow
  • The Elegant Pitch
  • The Vision Code
  • The Inner Matrix
  • The Most Unlikely Leader
  • The Leader with a Thousand Faces
  • The Voice of the Underdog

Categories

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Our Course Offerings

Leadership Skills

Creating Your Leadership Maxims
Leading Inside the Box
Leading With Influence
Leading Through Change
Structured Problem Solving
Deliberate Decision Making
High Performing Teams
Simplified Strategic Planning
Strategic Business Planning
Coaching for Impact: Foundations
Coaching for Impact: Applications
Building Leadership Resilience
Engagement Management
Project Management Reality

Communication Skills

Communications: Foundations
Communications: Applications
Principles of Chart Design
Strategic Client Engagement
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Compelling Executive Presence
Advanced Facilitation Skills

Individual Skills

Conflict Resolution
Everything is Negotiable
thoughtLEADERSHIP: Innovation
Building Personal Resilience
Time Management Mastery

Coaching & Consulting

©2023 thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World. thoughtLEADERS, LLC is a registered trademark of thoughtLEADERS, LLC.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
The Role Stress Plays in Stupidity How to Better Deal With Angry People
Scroll to top