July 4, 2016 Kevin Durant choose to exercise his independence and resigned from Oklahoma City Thunder and accepted a new position with the Golden State Warriors. KD decided he wanted to try working for another organization to enhance his career and build his resume.
Some disagree with his move and others love it. Most of the time when people make changes in their career it’s due to them thinking it’s better for them personally. Typically that’s all that matters. Career changes happen all the time. Everyone at some point transitioned. The days of sticking it out with the first company that hired you are over. Loyalty to organizations is no longer the goal. Loyalty is to self and that’s okay.
It’s okay to take your at will employment rights. Companies have the ability to terminate you at will. Why can’t we do the same without backlash? Kevin Durant’s decision shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone since he was a free agent.
People take other people’s careers too personal when it’s not their career to decide for. When it’s your turn to adjust your career’s experience and salary, the last thing you want to hear from are the critics about your move being cowardice, selfish or weak.
Your career change does impact others but they will get through it and rebuild. You shouldn’t let your current team or leadership sway your decision to not advance your career. You need to have your sights set on where you want to be in ‘X’ amount of years regardless anyone’s opinion. The only person who should take your career personal is you. You are the decision maker and stakeholder of you.
Some people are always looking for their next opportunity and that’s okay. I was taught to always have an updated resume prepared because you never know when you’ll need to furnish it upon request if you’re looking for a new role or not. That’s part of my ‘ready set go’ mentality that I wrote about in my book Polished: A Young Professional’s Guide for Success. Always be ready with your appearance and resume. It’s gets deeper than that but that’s just an example.
So when it comes to your career make sure you weigh out your options before making an abrupt decision. Be sure your impact is for the greater good of you and where you see yourself going over time. Anyone who tries to impose their opinions on you shouldn’t phase you because you have to live your life and work your career just as they need to do for themselves.
And if the critics keep talking, simply ask them: Would you feel the same way about yourself when your resign from one job to go to another?
It’s called a career move.
