Think about all of the break up lines you’ve heard:
- “We have irreconcilable differences.”
- “We have grown apart.”
- “We don’t have that much in common.”
- “We aren’t compatible any longer.”
- And the “Seinfeld” classic: “It’s not you; it’s me.”
As people move in different directions, they tend to lose control over their personal relationships. It’s just human nature. In the business world, when compatibility suffers, people get fired, or they leave to pursue “personal interests.” Just look at what happened to Katie Taylor last month. She is one of the most well-respected executives in the industry, but was clearly at odds with Four Seasons ownership. It bought back reflections of my relationship with one of my 2 Mentors and Friend for many years Myles McGourty at Hyatt and how that relationship grew apart until we parted ways. It is moments that we all face and are never easy.
Yet change can be liberating as well. As Steve Jobs once said, “The best thing that ever happened to my career was getting fired by Apple. It allowed me to enter the most creative period of my professional life.”
So remember, breaking up is hard to do, but don’t lose sight of the alternative opportunities it presents.