Thinking out loud
I've managed to survive a week of state audits and the temporary loss of a colleague sinceI've last written. I've had to taken on leading 6 new team members when I barely had time for my team.
This all leans into the internal debate that I've been having the last year or so. "What do I want?" My COO asked me this in a skip level about a month ago. A dear friend keeps pushing me to think deeply on it.
I'm a very good individual contributor. I solve problems that stump others. I build thoughtful, foreward thinking solutions. I see the repercussions as the decisions are made (and I'm tired of saying I old you so)
People say I'm a good manager. I give my team a safe space. I work to inspire and I nudge their growth, if they want it. It's a fine job, but I find it's a stop gap. Not enough time at the table to give input on decisions, but also not enough time in the day to build the cool thing.
The next step in my career path is to become a director. I've proven I can lead a team. I've shown that I can communicate the big picture clearly and concisely. It's what I've invested the last 5 years in becoming.
I know that I'm at an inflection point. I think the technology has changed in a way that I can make my next level income goal being an individual contributor. But I still want to have influence at the top.
It's an interesting time to be doing this.