In Cal Newport’s superb “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”, he introduces this idea of the “Second Control Trap”: once you have the skills and talent to grow to the next level in your career, your employer will often try to prevent you from making the change. You’ve grown too valuable in their eyes. The trap is in listening to them, taking the deal to overstay your welcome and hold back your potential. Richard Branson says “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough that they won’t want to”. It’s a nice idea, but the reality is many employers are perfectly happy keeping their best talent from recognizing their value for themselves.
I think a lot of workers often fail to recognize just how much leverage they really have. It’s tempting to feel as if your employer is doing you the favor by giving you a job and opportunity, but once you achieve even a modest degree of skill, you have more power in that relationship than you realize.
It is absolutely a trap to stay in a role you’re ready to grow beyond. Learn to recognize the motivations of those you work with, and you can start to recognize the power dynamics, and see where your leverage lies.