September 21, 2022 –
After several years as the retail advertising manager for BFGoodrich, I received an offer from another company to be their vice-president of advertising. I accepted the offer.
I was reluctant to tell my manager, the director of marketing, that I was leaving because of our excellent relationship. But I made an appointment to see him. After entering his office and telling him why I was there, it surprised me when he said, “congratulations on the promotion. I know you will continue to do the excellent work you did here.”
His professional gesture did not surprise me. But I was surprised at the wise advice he gave me. “When you get to your new job, change nothing immediately. If they are profitable, they must do something right. Evaluate what the company is doing right, and then humbly improve those actions before making new initiatives.”
As I left his office, his last remark was to remember the advice he gave me, look to see what is happening, listen to trusted counsel, and evaluate your options before deciding.