THE EXECUTIVE DECISION

When an executive faces a major career move, the natural instinct is to gather as much intelligence as possible. You call former colleagues, mentors, and peers to ask for their "take" on the company or the role. While this feels like due diligence, there is a point where gathering opinions becomes a distraction.

Sometimes we wait too long to involve our partner. Then, when we do, it feels a bit more like a conversation to get "buy-in" or "permission" at the last minute. This creates friction because your partner is being asked to accept a risk they didn't help define.

The reason most executives regret a move is rarely the compensation. It's usually a failure to properly value the parts of the job that don't show up on a spreadsheet—the factors that actually determine your daily quality of life and your professional growth.