This is me today.

Once a month, I have a “Talent Development” working group meeting that I run with a few people on my team (there were 5) who want to move into leadership or specialist roles within our company.  It’s the one day a month that I love coming into work, and this for a 1-hour discussion.  A month ago today, 2 members of that group gave me their notice as they were leaving the company.  (And then there were 3)

Our next meeting was booked for today.  Earlier this week, one member decided to take a vacation day. On Thursday – the day of our meeting. (And then there were 2).

I came in to the office this morning to a voicemail from one of the group saying she would be out sick today. (And then there was 1)  Given that this is a discussion group, it was pointless to carry on with just 1 individual, so I cancelled the meeting.

This has been one of the few pieces keeping me motivated and engaged over the last while.  It’s fueled me, and I love finding topics, articles, discussion points for us to tackle.  Sadly, I do not see the same passion and commitment from the folks in the group.  As a point of example, I assigned a task for them to complete at our last meeting a month ago.  Two of them were working on this task yesterday afternoon.  An afterthought.

It becomes rather demotivating to pour yourself into your work and the people you work with, but to see so little reciprocity.

Knowing that I have one of my three remaining members looking externally for work, it begs me to ask “do I continue?”  I recognize that I am in a period of contraction right now.  This contraction will lead to an expansion and things will become unbelievably amazing.  It’s the not knowing how long the contraction will take that is the most challenging.

What advice do you have for me?  What can I do to re-energize myself?  What are your strategies?