Dear Colleague,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share an interesting observation I recently made about our conversations regarding career growth and job changes. Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed you mentioning the need to dust off your resume and explore new opportunities. While I’ve heard many people talk about what they should do or need to do, actions speak louder than words. I hadn’t realized until recently that you were truly serious about making a job change.

Last week, however, I noticed a shift in your tone when you mentioned that you wanted to work on your resume over the weekend. It seemed like you had finally taken that first step towards moving forward with your job search. It was at that moment that I realized you were genuinely committed to finding a new position.

Fast forward two months, and during our lunch meeting, you excitedly shared the news that you have accepted a Senior Manager position at Acme Software. Seeing how you transformed your initial intention into a concrete action plan, I now believe that you are indeed leaving our company.

Reflecting on this story, I noticed the different levels of intention that you went through:

– Level One: “I should” or “I need” – This indicates a recognition or desire for change but lacks an actionable plan.

– Level Two: “I want” or “I am going to” – This shows a transformation from talk to a concrete plan, often making it to the top of the to-do list.

– Level Three: “I am” – A clear statement of intention that reflects action and ownership for the desired results. This is where intentions become reality through execution.

It’s worth noting that when a team member says, “I know I owe you that design document and I should have it by Friday,” or “I should really get to work on your project,” it doesn’t hold the same weight as someone saying, “I know I owe you that design document, and I am going to send it to you on Friday,” or “I am working on your deliverables right now.” The use of “should,” “going to,” or “I am” indicates the strength of the intention.

I wanted to share this observation with you because it’s inspiring to see how you have progressed from recognizing a need for change to actively pursuing it. I wish you all the best in your new role, and I am confident that you will excel in your career at Acme Software.

Warm regards,

pmStudent