After a 30-year career in six different industries and spending a considerable amount of time coaching executives in a dozen different organizations, I have concluded that the cultural alignment between you and the organization is the most critical factor to determining your future success and happiness.

1.  Public vs Privately Owned. Companies that are publicly traded can have a completely different sense of urgency than a privately held company. If you can't stand up to the sales pressure of 'making the numbers' every quarter or operations need to pinch pennies in the 4th quarter, a public company might not be for you. Strategy can be long term in nature but certainly the tactics have real here and now implications. If you are uncomfortable with a sales gun to your head four times a year, maybe a privately held company with a longer-term vision and less pressure around month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter financial reporting is for you.

2.  Control. Many companies are very closely held, especially if they are family owned and operated. Just today I had a maternal figure in a family-owned business reach out for advice on how to balance the expectations of the 2nd generation with the need to hire and recruit outside business executives. If you are not comfortable with some level of nepotism, a family-owned organization might not be for you. You need to understand you are a hired gun in a family clique that you will never be part of regardless of your position. Face it, even if you are the hired CEO or President of a family-owned company, you are not going to be sitting at that Thanksgiving dinner table.

3.  Industry.  Every industry has its own nuances, and it is very important to know what you are getting into. Auto and Energy are VERY cyclical and run distinct cycles of intense hiring and growth followed by equally intense periods of divestitures and layoffs. These types of cyclical industries are not for the weak of heart or stomach. In the past ten years, we have seen intense gender bias in some industries, in particular the tech world. If you need a visual on the bias in coding and development, women make only up 11 percent of executives in Silicon Valley and earn 73 percent less than men with the same educational credentials.

4.  Size. Company size can have a lot to do with job satisfaction. The smaller the company, the more visibility and influence you may have to strategy and decision making. In addition, you will be expected to wear many hats and be able to make a difference that will be recognizable and have your personal stamp. The downsize is small companies run very lean. They reinvest profits and margin back into the organization. You sit in secondhand furniture and might be deferring compensation for future equity or profit sharing. There is no G7 waiting. There are no lavish sales meetings or client outings at five-star resorts but there can be a tremendous amount of job satisfaction. Additionally, there can be a significant difference in the talent that is attracted by large public vs the smaller tightly held companies. If you take a highly cerebral approach to problem solving and like to be surrounded by thought partners, you may need to reach externally for that fix in a small or mid-market organization. 

5.  Location and Communication Style. Communication style is usually driven by two things - geography and ownership. If you are working for a family owned, private company based in the Southeast US, you can count on a very indirect communication style. If you grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, you will get a performance review in Atlanta and have no idea whether you are on top of the world or about ready to go on a PIP (performance improvement plan). Midwest and NE are direct and those from the South would say 'in your face'. As a holdover from an early farming culture, communication in the Midwest can be polite, but firm and direct. The South and West Coast you might need a translator if you are a Chicago or Minneapolis native. Having worked for more than one Atlanta based company, I have found it necessary to triangulate conversation and ask polite but direct questions to garner clarity on ideas, issues, and opportunities.

6.  Matrix Structure (COE's). One of the biggest challenges I have ever faced in my career has been the transition from an organization where I controlled all my resources directly to a highly matrix organization. The difference can sometimes be slower cycle times in exchanged for a higher quality output. Patience and ability to influence are keys to success in a COE (Centers of Excellence) model. If you find yourself in a matrix COE model, you better be someone who can sell internally and thrive in an environment that is highly collaborative. The upside to a COE/Matrix structure is that if you like to have your voice heard, these organizations bring in valued cross functional partners like you as SME's (subject matter experts) more readily than other organization structures.

7.  Centralized or Decentralized Management. In the retail and restaurant industry, in addition to other B2C organizations, you will find decision making pushed out as close to the client as possible. This enables higher client satisfaction as well as generating insights that drive new product and service development. These are organizations that move quickly. They are action oriented and value quick decision making and problem/issue resolution. They are fast paced and lively.  You can become extremely frustrated if you are in a corporate office charged with driving brand or compliance marketing. Many times in the field there is a high level of optionalism at the point of client contact that leads to internal conflict with those charged with compliance. 

In summary, the due diligence you do up front can save you a tremendous amount of frustration and ultimately job dissatisfaction in later weeks, months, and years. Knowing how you are hardwired, being honest with yourself, and recognizing where the right fit is can mean the difference between a career with lots of SOS's (series of successes) or an eventual severance package. Use these seven criteria as a checklist for your current job, a new job, or your one of your future career management tools.

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