People don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Right? This seems to be the maxim that we keep hearing, and largely, it makes sense.

When I was consulting, I knew this to be true: I wasn’t really working for a “company”. I was hired by an individual, kept a relationship with that individual, and—in the off chance that said individual left said company—all bets are off if I lose the relationship with that individual. You don’t work for Microsoft, or Google, or Apple, (or whichever company), but some manager or management chain in that organization. You can believe in and support the company’s mission and ideals, but you won’t stay if you don’t support your manager. However.

Things change. People change. Needs change. Sometimes you don’t need the company any longer, and sometimes, the company doesn’t need you. Sometimes, a company doesn’t live up to it’s own ideals. Sometimes, in order to grow, you have to fly the nest.

The maxim often holds up: people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Sometimes, though, just sometimes, you do leave a company.