It's not just enough to know if you're playing the right game. You need to decide what to do once you know.

If I find out that my employer wants to operate one way and I want to operate a different way, it is on me to decide if I want to continue playing that game.

If I continue, what's the advantage for me? Perhaps money for my time, but certainly not my happiness.

If I continue, what's the advantage for the employer? A minimal amount of effective work product for me, but not my buy-in.

The sunk cost tells us that if we stick with something that we know doesn't work just because we've already invested the time/money into something, it won't pay off in the end.

So what must we do?

We must move on. We must quit.

We must assert our truth: "This is not the work that matters for me and I can't effectively serve the people I seek to serve in this capacity. You're not getting my best, and you deserve someone who will give their best. Let's make a plan to move on."

I get that's not possible for everyone. I have been in a place where I dare not leave a job because I depend on the salary. This post is not for that person in that situation. This post is for the person who can get to decide.

And for that person, I recommend assert the truth. If you're not playing the same game, let your leader know and move on.

The people you seek to serve need you.

They need you supporting them. They need you to find them, secure their permission to let you serve them, and for you to do the work that matters for them.