When I quit my job in 2017 the CEO of the company offered me not a sabbatical but an unpaid leave: he understood that I was under a lot of stress personally but there was no room for a paid sabbatical (and...I really didn't want to work for that guy anymore anyway, I was under a lot of stress also because of that job).
Then I did a few months of "high-risk" sabbatical on my own terms (I burned half of my personal savings between the lack of income and the ramping up of the new consulting gig).
I'm not sure how a request for a sabbatical might be perceived by a company and the managers: in my experience there's a high risk of compromising yourself, the request being seen just as a paid vacation before checking out mentally or quitting right after the sabbatical.
You focused a lot on the nuts and bolts of building a proposal — which is great and helpful — but I'm curious about how you navigated the touchy-feely side of it, and how others might prepare themselves better for the inevitable clash of different expectations and suspicions that might arise from a request for a sabbatical.
When I quit my job in 2017 the CEO of the company offered me not a sabbatical but an unpaid leave: he understood that I was under a lot of stress personally but there was no room for a paid sabbatical (and...I really didn't want to work for that guy anymore anyway, I was under a lot of stress also because of that job).
Then I did a few months of "high-risk" sabbatical on my own terms (I burned half of my personal savings between the lack of income and the ramping up of the new consulting gig).
I'm not sure how a request for a sabbatical might be perceived by a company and the managers: in my experience there's a high risk of compromising yourself, the request being seen just as a paid vacation before checking out mentally or quitting right after the sabbatical.
You focused a lot on the nuts and bolts of building a proposal — which is great and helpful — but I'm curious about how you navigated the touchy-feely side of it, and how others might prepare themselves better for the inevitable clash of different expectations and suspicions that might arise from a request for a sabbatical.
Davide! This is a great point! Some people can see asking for a sabbatical super negatively.
I’m gonna think on this.
I’m sure other readers share your question… would you be comfortable with me sharing my written response in the next newsletter?
Sure, go for it!