Moral victory is about losing the fight but actually emerging victorious since one did not surrender his principles. A person might lose a battle, confrontation or even an employment, and yet, may achieve some gain, which might be unrelated to the issue. The intangible gain is often measured internally by the person concerned or by those close to him. In the eyes of many, when he resigns or gets fired, he may be a loser or a quitter. But to him and His Creator, he is victorious for achieving not too many people can attain—a moral victory!
When I was practically forced to resign from the Bureau of Immigration about three years ago, I refused. Knowing that I serve at the pleasure of the President, I kept doing what I could to minimize if not eradicate corruption at the bureau up to my very last day. I ended up being fired on the pretext of an irregularity in the custody of a Korean fugitive from justice. There were no charges filed, although newspaper reports, some still available online, have tarnished my reputation.
A few years thereafter, quite a few colleagues in the bureau, and even in my current employment, have asked me advice amid the changes in the organization. Quite expectedly, every change in leadership will always accompany a change in personnel structure, internal processes and trust relationships. Resignation is always seen as an easy way out. Staying on, but working in a toxic environment, is always hard. Being fired is the worst option as public opinion would not be too kind. Former Customs Commissioner and former Bureau of Corrections Director General Nicanor Faeldon has opted to be fired twice instead of resigning twice. I would not know the extent of his moral victory but the fact remains that his reputation, despite the continued Presidential trust, has been besmirched.
My daughter Regina Victoria knows how it is like to be held back by the promise of a steady paycheck and the fear of the unknown. For others, frequently switching jobs may be seen as a millennial thing. In her case, Regina Victoria has rationalized many times over why her job is not so bad and sticks to it as long as she can. Yet, although she finds extreme difficulty in letting go of a decent source on income, she ends up resigning. The next few lines came from my daughter Regina Victoria, who, three years after getting an Ateneo degree, has worked for five employers already. She has offered insightful tips to those who are on the verge of resigning from work. To her, one should assess personal emotions, work environment, leaders in the company, and professional development by asking and answering these questions:
How do you feel about getting up and ready for work? Your decision to quit should not be determined by your feelings alone. If, to answer this question, you say you feel forced to get up; are unhappy, lazy, afraid, anxious, demotivated or frustrated about having to prove your worth and fight to be respected again, it’s time to pay attention to it. Your feelings often point you to a very real and very serious situation that needs to be dealt with.
How would you honestly describe your present work environment? A good one should encourage collaboration, inspire creativity, increase productivity and is one where both you and the organization grow. But, if your workplace is toxic—there’s a lack of team spirit; you’re all low on morale, your company has poor internal communication and there’s micromanagement, mismanagement and unhealthy competition—you have to remember that you don’t have to endure all this and be miserable to be gainfully employed.
What can you say about your boss and his/her leadership style? Business insiders have shared that people nowadays are looking less for good jobs and more for good bosses. These people directly affect our experiences at work and shape how we do what we do. Bosses are called not just to be managers but to be mentors and role models, as well. If your current boss berates and embarrasses you when you make a mistake (instead of helping you learn from it); passes on his/her work to you (and treats you more like a lackey), and speaks negatively about you and your team behind your backs, start thinking about the kind of leader you want to work both for and with. This will help you greatly if or when you decide to leave.
Are you still growing and building the character and skills you need to be the person you dream to be? We all have goals we want to achieve and the potential to achieve them. It’s important that the company you work for recognizes that and helps you to be and do the best you can. If you no longer see yourself growing both professionally and personally, you can try having discussions with your boss about your career plan. If, after which, you do not like the plans the company has for you or you realize that you want to take your career a whole other direction, go and build up the courage you need to write that resignation letter and leave.
We all need to listen to that voice speaking in our hearts and trust where it is leading us. In the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Regina Victoria ends her tips by saying: “Talk to Him as you discern the next step in your career and, no matter how scary it can be, take that leap of faith with Him.” Whether you resign or be fired, a moral victory is always within our reach.
For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.