Career Crossroad: Challenge Yourself or Be Comfortable And Underutilized?

A buddy of mine (let’s call him Mike) got a call last week from one of the big exec recruiting firms. It seems they were interested in him for a high-profile, senior exec position with an industry competitor.  I never in a million years could imagine Mike moving on from his company, where he had worked for the past 30 years.  His identity and the company’s were almost inseparable. Yet, he decided to pursue the opportunity despite the fact  that he had a nice job where he was well-respected, had a reasonable amount of influence and a decent comp package.

Why?

He felt underutilized. He knew that he could have more of an impact if he was allowed, but he wasn’t, so now he was considering leaving.

What a shame.

Not for my friend as much as the company he may leave. So many organizations make people feel this way later in their careers. Just when their skills, competencies, experiences and perspectives merge together have the maximum impact, a ceiling is placed on their ability to contribute.

Or worse, they are asked to leave.

What do you think?