Open any management books and chance is you will get a negative connotation of the term “comfort zone”.

In interviews, I often hear candidates saying that “I want to get out of comfort zone” as a reply whenever I ask them their reason to apply. One’s comfort zone may not be the same with others. I usually try to dig deeper why they think they are in such situation.

He has also been working for the same company for 10 years. Within this period, he has been rotated to different positions every 2-3 years. He also got promoted every 2-3 years. He claimed to be doing well in each position and he is thankful to his company for giving him such opportunity.

Clearly this person has been identified as a talent. He’s been lucky to work in one organization that can offer him learning opportunities through job rotations. There are not many corporations in the world who can offer this. There is always a risk that the person may not succeed. Or worst, leaving the company.

I suggested him to speak to HR and his immediate supervisor. I imagine they can make his career more exciting by assigning him to a sales role in different market; increasing target and bonus potential; promote him to a bigger role (with additional responsibility to manage people); and some other options.

He did that and came back to us weeks later still wanting a move. He wanted to explore opportunities in a different company. We feel he had the motivation so we proceeded with few options.

The second category is the real comfort zone.  Things like: modest performance expectations; Over stressing on harmonious working environment where they do not question each other; High tolerance level for mistakes and indisciplinary actions; Practices of subjectivity and favoritism; Lack of meritocracy; Marginal difference in incentives for performers and non-performers, etc.

In this kind of comfort zone, the high performing employees ideally sit in leadership positions for them to effect change. If you are in this kind of company the above are enough reasons to look elsewhere.

The next time you feel like you are in comfort zone, just do the following quick self-assessments with honest yes or no answer.

Have I:

1. Done better than my predecessor?
2. Achieved what is expected for me to achieve?
3. Acquire the skills and competencies that my present bosses have in order to replace him/her one day?
4. If I don’t, can I acquire those skills and competencies in this company? Or should I look elsewhere?
5. Where am I compare to my industry peers? Am I the best, second or third best?
6. Do I always complete my job and target long before the deadline? Or do I struggle to achieve them?
7. Am I spending too much time doing non work-related subjects within working hours?

If you answer the above questions honestly you will get a good feel of where you are and your possible course of actions.

HS

Picture credit to Coen Staal