For over 25 years, I have evolved in the information technology sector. I have had the chance to work in extraordinary companies, hold positions of responsibility, buld and lead teams, participate in digital transformation projects, and support demanding clients in complex contexts. I do not regret any of the choices I have made: each experience has enriched me and allowed me to grow.
On paper, it was a successful journey. In reality, it was often exciting. And yet, a question kept coming back regularly, sometimes quietly, sometimes loudly: "How can I better support my clients, in a more free way, more aligned with my values, and closer to the impact I want to have?"
This little voice, many know it. Some silence it. Others end up listening to it. That is what I have chosen to do.
When the desire to act clashes with the system
It is not uncommon to love one's job while no longer being able to tolerate the environment. The problem is not always what we do, but how and where we do it. We want to go further, propose new ideas, make things simpler, more human, more efficient. But we run into invisible walls: inertia of processes, top-down priorities, fear of change, micromanagement, or simply... indifference.
This feeling of being held back, sometimes even stifled, is a source of deep weariness. When you give a lot but it leads to nothing, frustration sets in. And it often ends up transforming into disengagement, even a desire to leave.
When the company forgets to listen
Too many organizations talk about agility, innovation, collective intelligence... but struggle to truly listen to their employees. Yet, it is often in the field teams that the best ideas, weak signals, and opportunities for improvement can be found. But when decision-making processes are too long, when the hierarchy is wary of autonomy, or when the corporate culture values conformity over creativity, nothing changes.
This lack of listening is not always intentional. It is often the result of an outdated model, inherited from another time. A model that sacrifices engagement for structure, and common sense for procedure. And in this context, talents become exhausted... or fade away.
Sometimes, all it takes is to change the environment
Leaving a company does not necessarily mean questioning your entire career. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of compatibility. The same role can be experienced in a completely different way depending on the culture, management style, or the degree of freedom offered by the organization.
Some companies encourage initiative, active listening, and experimentation. Others do not. It is therefore crucial to learn to know oneself better and to ask the right questions before accepting a new position:
- How are decisions made?
- What is the space left for autonomy?
- What attitude does the company adopt towards mistakes?
- How is dialogue encouraged between hierarchical levels?
Changing doesn't necessarily mean going far away. Sometimes it's simply about finding a place that resembles us more.
Sometimes, it is also enough to communicate better
Before resigning, it can be useful, and often beneficial, to put words to it. In many cases, employers are unaware of a colleague's discomfort or frustration, especially if that person is competent and puts on a good front. Expressing one's feelings, aspirations, and limits can open unexpected doors.
What is often forgotten is that for companies as well, losing a reliable, motivated, and experienced employee represents a high cost. Recruiting someone new takes time, energy, and involves a degree of uncertainty: it is difficult to know in advance if the "rare gem" exists, or if they will integrate sustainably. Many leaders are therefore willing to consider adjustments, internal mobility, or job evolutions... as long as the dialogue is open.
Internal changes, cross-functional projects, a change in position or pace can bring new energy. Of course, this requires clarity, courage, and a receptive company. But the mere act of engaging in an honest conversation often allows one to break free from the status quo — whether to stay differently or to leave more peacefully.
The real risk: do nothing
The fear of leaving a "stable" job is understandable. The apparent comfort, the habits, and the family or financial responsibilities weigh in the balance. But staying in a situation that no longer nourishes us is also a risk, a slow, silent risk, but very real.
Staying by default means gradually distancing ourselves from what drives us. It is accepting to see our energy decline, our enthusiasm fade, our professional identity dissolve into conformity. And this type of wear and tear, in the long run, has a personal cost, but also an organizational one.
A question of generation... and meaning
This need for meaning, contribution, and coherence with one's values is no longer marginal. It is central. The younger generations, Y, Z, and soon Alpha, no longer want just "a job." They want to understand what they are contributing to. They want their energy to serve something greater than an organizational chart. This quest for purpose redefines expectations regarding work: more transparency, more impact, more humanity.
And what if, instead of brushing this aside, previous generations took inspiration from it? Because what many young people express today, others have felt for a long time... without daring to articulate it.
Dare to change: not a leap into the void, a path to oneself
Changing paths does not mean leaving everything behind overnight without a safety net. It can be done gradually, step by step. What matters is daring to ask the right questions, listening to what still resonates within us, and envisioning a path that is more aligned.
Doing what we love does not guarantee ease. But it gives a new meaning to every obstacle. It brings back breath, momentum, and perspective.
Need help choosing the right path (only for Switzerland)?: The ORP (Regional Employment Office) also offers support for adults! https://www.vd.ch/formation/orientation/pour-les-adultes
Working with passion is reconnecting to meaning
When we commit to a project that deeply resonates with who we are, something changes. We no longer count the hours because we no longer endure them. The obstacles do not become fewer, but they take on a different flavor: they nourish the adventure instead of hindering it. Working for a cause, an idea, a mission that speaks to us is not a luxury of the privileged — it is a powerful driving force.
We reconnect with what drives us, with what makes us proud, with what we want to leave behind. And that energy... it is visible, it is shared, it is contagious.
Some tips for crossing the threshold
There is no universal recipe, but here is a three-step reflection process to clarify your desires and structure your transition to action:
1. Take stock of your current situation
- What you still enjoy about your work (to keep).
- What no longer suits you at all (to be eliminated).
- What you do well but that no longer nourishes you.
- What you would like to do more.
2. Listen to what calls you
- What gives you energy?
- What activities engage you effortlessly?
- What topics inspire you, outrage you, or excite you?
- What natural talents do others recognize in you?
3. Project yourself into concrete scenarios
- What would your ideal daily life look like?
- What level of risk are you willing to take?
- What can you test on a small scale?
- What first step can you take… today?
And then? Take action. Gently, but with determination.
- Listen to yourself. It's okay if your answers don't please everyone: they belong to you.
- Train yourself. Learning is equipping yourself to last.
- Test. A project, a mission, an exchange: start small but concrete.
- Surround yourself. Nothing compares to the stories of those who dared.
- Prepare. Leaving an unsatisfactory situation does not mean rushing in headfirst. Anticipate, plan, secure.
What you are really risking
- You may feel more alive.
- You may find enthusiasm upon waking up.
- You may be more helpful, more inspiring, more authentic.
- You risk… succeeding differently.
In my case, this mission comes to life through my passion for startups, digitalization, and supporting businesses in their development. I enjoy detecting potential where everything is yet to be built, creating bridges between ideas and their execution, helping leaders to structure, accelerate, and transform. What drives me is ensuring that projects come to life and grow sustainably.
Today, with Ectos, I have found this aligned path. I build every day a model that resembles me: entrepreneurial, collaborative, human. I help other companies to evolve, to reinvent themselves, to unleash their potential. And I see how all of this was impossible until I, myself, dared to do it.
So if that famous little voice speaks to you too…
Listen to it.
It doesn't scream for no reason.