There comes a time in most people's careers when they wonder if it's time to move on to something else, whether it's a change of employer or a switch to a different role in the same organization. Facing a change of jobs can be terrifying for some people, but it doesn't have to be. New dean Steve McLaughlin has faced plenty of those situations over the course of his career which has seen him switch duties many time. Here is what he had to say about tackling change.
 

As someone who has a variety roles inside and outside of Georgia Tech, does transitioning to a new job scare you?

Transitions always bring up fears, whether it's rational or irrational fears. My brain works in five year increments. After about five years my brain gets restless and starts looking for something new. If you look at my various transitions they've almost all happened in five-year increments. I think the biggest thing I've realized is that going into a new role you have this idea of what it's going to be like. It's mostly idealized, and positive, and rosy and cheery. Then when you start the job there are things you didn't realize or that people didn't tell you were part of it. I think this is my second transition now that I've gone into it realizing that there are things I don't know about that I'm going to find out soon. Fear revolves around those unknowns, and it can be a letdown when the reality of a new situation doesn't live up to what you expected. It's like 'Gee - I didn't realize that was going to happen'. But that comes with every job so you shouldn't let it stop you.

How do you know if a position is right for you?

I think everybody gets in a grass is greener mode. I think I'm old enough (or maybe experienced enough) to admit enough of those things have come up during my career. You look around and you try to put yourself in somebody else's place, but I've always found that we have it pretty good here at Georgia Tech. Opportunities come along, but I've gotten to a place where I can see how lucky we are. With the role we play in engineering at a place like Georgia Tech - I don't know if anyone has greener grass than the grass we're already sitting on. After 21 years, I'm still here.

What advice do you have for employees trying to decide if it's time for a change?

For staff in particular universities can be challenging places. Career paths are not always clear and how you rise through the organization is challenging. We try to help create an environment to help staff, but we recognize the challenges. At the end of the day I think you always go with your gut. If your gut tells you to do it, or your brain says "This is super exciting and I'd be really energized by it", you should go for it. There's no question you should go for it. Don't pass up those opportunities. 

At the end of the day you want to see the folks in your organization happy and succeeding, and fulfilled. If you end up losing your best person it kind of stings for a little bit, but there are so many good people all over this place. You'll find someone else to fill that slot, even if the loss of a great employee stings. That's how I feel as a leader. I hope everyone's boss is supportive if they want to move on to something bigger and better. We should want that. Trust your gut. You have to take the leap. Imagine being an astronaut about to take a space walk, and opening that door. You have to step out. You have to do it. You might not know what's on the other side but you have to trust yourself. You have to do it, and there are no guarantees.

And if you decide to take the leap, and it doesn't work out, and they hire someone else - it's hard. But as much as possible you have to not take it personally. When I was a finalist for this position I knew two of the other candidates really well. I knew it would work out for Georgia Tech no matter who got the job. It would sting, but it wasn't about me - it was about the right time and place for Georgia Tech. Context matters, and the context rarely has to do with you. 

Do you have any other fears related to the workplace?

I was talking to a junior faculty member I recently hired in ECE and we were talking about teaching, and I told him that before every single lecture I'm still nervous. Even a course I've taught a dozen times, that I could teach in my sleep, makes me nervous. I find that's really helpful. Some version of public humiliation is a good motivator. I'm starting to give my first speeches and intros as the dean and... yikes. It will go fine. They almost always go fine. The advice I give myself and others is be yourself, try to be authentic, and don't talk about something you don't know about. It's never going to be perfect, but I still wake up anxious every day I have to speak in public. 

Do you have any other fears or phobias?

I used to be really afraid of heights, and I still am to a degree. Heights and dentists. Both of those have been cured, kind of. I had a dental implant, which is pretty much modern day torture. It doesn't hurt, but it's intense. They hit me 50 times with something called a bone-spreader. I was medicated, but awake, and it's so unsettling. The sound is awful. But getting through that kind of cured my fear of the dentist. I made it through it, and the fear is gone. 

For heights, I did a zipline with my son in Guatemala. I faced that fear because I wasn't going to show in front of my son that I was afraid. I know I could do it again, but the definition of safety there is different than it is here. Their equipment doesn't quite meet the standards for what we'd use here. It all worked out fine though. I wouldn't say it totally cured my fear of heights, but it went a long way.  Part of our course was back and forth over a ravine at a volcanic lake in Guatemala. I watched a YouTube video beforehand, but it didn't really convey what it was like. The last big run involves walking up this mountain. Maybe not a full mountain, but 800 or 1000 feet above the lake. Of course there are no guardrails, and I was freaking out. Every step got to me. We worked our way up, and away I went. Then halfway down the zipline I turned sideways and the cable started rubbing against my wrist, burning. I don't remember how I resolved it, but I made it down with the burn on my wrist. I survived. It was scary, but it was awesome. It was a great experience. Tackle your fears. It's worth it.