What is the ideal amount of time to be in a role? I suspect the maximum amount of time may be 2-4 years for maximum learning and beyond that, familiarity and comfort zone factors kick in and the lure of any “golden handcuffs” becomes too strong. People who stay years and years in a role may believe they are accruing years of valuable experience, but is it really new experience or merely 1year of experience, simply repeated five or more times? Many people stay in roles far too long and only realise that when they hit the wall or realise suddenly one day, that their heart is no longer in it; or find themselves restructured out of their job. Some people may not recognise the signs at all, but others around them might see some of the early warning signals e.g. a resistance to change; controlling behaviours; avoiding pieces of work; failing to deliver work on time; increased use of sick leave; always knowing “what’s best”. There is no right or wrong answer to the question, but it is one worth considering. It really is up to the individual to truly know themselves and to listen to what their heart and body is telling them, because operating only from a head level is limiting and can keep us stuck in the status quo.