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Could you use a break? What about quitting your job with no backup plan? In this episode, Megan Leasher, an industrial and organizational psychologist, shares her story of how she quit her job without another job lined up. She learned about herself, about routines, and is continuing to learn new things through this break.
Join in the conversation and share your ideas with us!
Find Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganleasher/

Quotes from the episode:
Human behavior is not just behavior at work, its behavior in your personal life, its behavior in your volunteering, and your parenting and your friends and all of those aspects. Predicting futures is about your whole self.
Because we are bringing our whole selves, we're bringing our fears, our discomfort, our frustrations, our passions, you know, the goods and the bads. And I think companies, having realized that, with all the data and the research that's out there, I think there's a greater awareness to get first time leaders ready.
So I think companies are really bringing the "human" into first time leadership training. There's a greater awareness in in helping first time leaders understand like, Hey, this is this is what's going to be coming at you and you know, what you're a person too.
I made a choice last September to leave the job I was in without having another one lined up. I just said, You know what, I'm going to step aside, I want to take a break. I've never had one of those before. And I'm going to have some rest. And I'm gonna see what this space provides. And what I didn't know, was how much my leadership would be on a stage by doing that, and by being in this in between space.
So the routine disruption has been quite a surprise, because I love it. I hate it. And everything in between. I'm realizing I'm someone who really does love structure in a day. But I think the challenge I'm being given right now is to blow that up once in a while and just ride that wave of discomfort. And let that structure go sometimes and see how it feels to embrace it versus fight the fluidity.
Is there a scenario where maybe a few months off is okay, and maybe things might be a little tighter, but what is the gain for your mental health, for your rest, for operating at your best self, embracing your potential, maybe learning something new? Could there be more to gain in those areas that might make some financial tightness worth it?
In terms of knowing it's time, the you know, the clarity, for me was a lack of fear. I wasn't paralyzed by the idea of having nothing I was really excited about it there was a calm with it.
Another direction, I really want to lean into more, and you had brought it up before is, is support for first time leaders. So many people, as individual contributors get promoted for the first time to become a leader, a manager, and they have no idea what to expect, they're thrown into it, maybe a month or so later, they start to get some training. But it's kind of the backwards order for me.
When I think of an unconventional leader leader, I think of someone who really owns a mistake early and openly.
A manager told me an email can always be good news. But if it's bad news, pick up the phone or do it face to face. And so you know, add the extra level of dignity, integrity, human connection, if you're sharing something that's not positive. And that, that really, that really stuck with me.
Megan's Recommendations:
Book: Presence by Amy Cuddy
Tool: Focus Mate