Don't Sell Your Soul-Stand Up for What You Think Is Right

This is tough. This is big.

Standing up for anything is hard. Difficult decisions need to be made. Discomfort creeps into your chest, your guts. Your soul.

“man on body of water during daytime” by Mubariz Mehdizadeh on Unsplash

Do you fold like a cheap lawn chair, or do you stand proud and strong and weather the storm? 

Face into the wind, one step at a time, fighting and clawing for every inch forward?

You damn well should. Crush your fears and be strong against the tide.

That is why you are here, you are strong and want to be stronger. This is why you are in the role you are in. This is why you level up; to be better than sheep and lemmings.

Fight mediocrity.

Fight passiveness.

Fight entropy.

Fight apathy.

Now, could you sell your soul? Find a job with the least amount of responsibility with the most pay? It probably doesn’t exist in the way you imagine it. Could you jump from one role to another for $XXX more today? Tomorrow? If you are worth your salt, you can.

Let me posit how easy it is to sell your soul. You think it is time to move on from your existing role, in the company you have worked for a number of years. You have made your mark on the company. There is clearly a need for your skills there. You have an impact every day, but your pay is not where you believe it should be. You do your research. You ask peers, people in the industry, and you find out you are paid less.

Ugh. Now what?

You begin to question your choices. Are you really THAT happy where you are? If you can make a reasonably larger sum doing the same work for another company? Or even a similar role in a completely different industry? You decide to test the water, you get interviewed, you get an offer. You tell your boss…then the counteroffer comes crashing through the door.

Don’t leave Sam. We want you to stay! We need you to stay! We will match your offer! We will offer you $XXX more to stay!

The flattery is nice. It confirms your investigation. You are valued. You are worth more money. You enjoy the attention. You feel loved and are flooded with that feeling. You are seriously considering it. You are about to say “yes” when your investigations take hold in your brain and the synapses make connections…wait. Why are you worth more now? All of 24 hours have passed and you are now worth $XXX more? What about last week? Or last month? Or last year?

Now you realize that if you decide to accept the counteroffer with the same company, it has turned you into a whore. It has said:

We know your price, we now own your soul. Flip tricks for us ponyboy. Dance monkey man…

Is it really worth it to take the new wage and stay? Were you really that happy yesterday? Last week? Last month? Last year? Is the new $XXX going to make all the BS go away? Are you really motivated by just the money? Or does all that BS have a price too? Do you now harbor anger against your employer for turning you into a whore? Why? YOU made the CHOICE.  They did not force you to take it.

Many studies simply searched for on the web suggest no. Never take the counteroffer. Most people, 80%+ leave within one year of accepting the counteroffer. There are instances, albeit few, that someone should consider counteroffers, but in reality, do you think you will be any happier?

Stand up for what you know.

Stand up for what you believe.

Do not sell your soul.

And when you are in a leadership role and you have an employee that says “I am going to quit unless you pay me $XXX” — don’t. Never counteroffer. It is disrespectful. Realistically, if you are the leader you want to be, your employee should never come to you and say that. Why? Because you are engaged. You are communicating. You are hearing and listening. You are engaged. AND. SO. ARE. YOUR. EMPLOYEES.

Go forth, be brilliant.