I recently learned that a colleague who I have known for many years will be leaving the company. It's not because he was the latest victim of a numbers game. Rather, it was because he decided that he had acquired enough toys and was willing to walk away. He plans to spend a few years on his fifty foot boat wandering where the wind and tides decide to take him.
I didn't get a chance to see him prior to learning about his fate. I can't even say that we're close friends. That said, I have nothing but respect for his decision. I think we all secretly wish we could just jettison all of our cares and set off in a different direction. He's actually doing it!
I must say that he leaves an enormous void in our organization. He had deep knowledge of our systems and people. He knew how to navigate in a very complex organization. There's something to be said for understanding the culture of any company. Each one is a different ecosystem and even someone with superstar potential can be swallowed up by a gulf in their understanding of their new environment.
I wish him nothing but smooth sailing in the days ahead. Hopefully, we can all follow in his footsteps on our own timetables.
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