Knowing When It’s Time To Step Down Or Quit Without Notice

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

After attending a men’s weekend in 1991, I began volunteering to staff retreats in the Northeast. Watching men start to transform as I had was exciting. The more I did it, the more excited I became. I wanted to lead these weekends and be responsible for creating the environment where these changes occurred.

“You’ll know when it’s your time to step up,” I heard frequently.

First, I was approved to assist the weekend leader. This gave me a window into what retreat leadership really was like. I started to notice the burdens of the role, but I had support from the leadership team. I was not wholly responsible.

Eventually, I was certified to be the leader. I was responsible for everything, including the logistics and well-being and safety of the staff and the attendees. Typically, there were 70 to 80 people on site. Although I had a lot of support, after a few years, I noticed the fun of volunteering was replaced by the burdens of leadership. It was now a job that weighed heavily on me.

As I began to think about stepping down, I realized that no one had ever spoken about knowing when it’s your time to step down. Instead, the focus was always on knowing when it’s your time to step up.