What to Do When You're Frustrated at Work

Lack of control, unwilling to quit - leads to frustration

Over the last few years, I quit a job that I was frustrated with and started my own company - something I dreamed of for many years.

I was amazed with how much more relaxed and un-frustrated I was running my own business. What makes it interesting is that my new business venture was doing poorly and ultimately failed. Despite dealing with extremely difficult situations that you would think would cause 10x the frustration, I was less frustrated as ever as I watched my business take a dive. The reason - because I had control of the situation. No one was making me do anything that I didn't agree with.

I think the key is to be in a place where you do agree with most of what is going on and you don't feel like you don't have any control. If you have a job where you feel like you have little control and that leads to frustration - try to change it - then quit if you can't change things. Before you do that, though, you might want to be really certain that you are right and not just complaining to complain. Finding the next job is contingent on you performing well, and not complaining well.

As a manager, I think it is important to build a team of people that "fit" in the company and feel like they have control. If someone does not fit and drags the team down, then the manager is doing everyone (including the complainer) a favor by paving a path for that person to find a new place where they will be happier, less frustrated, and have a chance to be rewarded.

Scott D of CO @ Jul 20, 2009 21:25:20 PM