In 2013 the Gallup Poll found that “70 percent of Americans hate their stupid job.” Even if you are among the 30 percent, beware, things out of your control can put you in the 70 percent in a New York minute! You need a playbook so you aren’t caught flat-footed.

Here are ten triggers that might have you pulling out that playbook.

 A New Colleague is assigned to your team and you don’t get along.

Is there that one co-worker that drives you crazy? Sometimes you find yourself assigned to a team that is toxic to you. Do you grit your teeth and muddle through? Do you refuse to work with them and risk your job?

You have a new boss.

You come in one day and there’s a new supervisor or manager who wants to put his or her own stamp on things. Processes that were working fine suddenly are being replaced by new ones that create more work than benefits.

You are promoted to a new job.

This happens often. A great employee is “rewarded” with a promotion that has them doing less of the work they loved and more management. Not everyone wants to or is good at managing others.

Your company is sold.

Often the new owner wants to clean house and bring in their own team who already do things the way the owner wants them done. It’s not that they don’t think you’re a good worker, they just want to eliminate the learning curve.

Your company’s Board of Directors changes the company’s direction.

Boards of Directors often pressure management to change goals or methods. The company might suddenly have a mission and vision that is contrary to what drew you to the company in the first place.

You’ve been let go.

Economies blow up, technology eliminates jobs. Whatever the reason, you’ve been let go. Do you look for a similar job with another employer? Do you change industries? Do you retire?

You are retiring.

You’ve decided to retire. Is it because you hate your current job and just want to get away? Is it a forced retirement due to company policy? Are you really ready to stop working or do you need a change?

You are bored.

You’ve kind of hit a dead-end. There’s no more opportunity for promotion, or your days are a repeat of themselves. You can do it in your sleep. Whatever the case, you want to work but not in a boring job.

You don’t feel you are appreciated.

You’ve been a real go-getter. You came in early and stayed late. You’ve created new processes and procedures to improve output. Yet you are getting routine raises. The boss is happy with your results but unwilling to reward your industry.

 You’re not making use of your talents.

You came into the job with loads of talent and experience, but the boss won’t let you use them. You’re forced to do things the way it has always been done. You feel you’re being wasted in this job.

Any one of these scenarios can pop up on any given day. In order to successfully deal with them, you need to be prepared.

If you know where you’re going, and if you have a contingency plan in place, you can cope more quickly and effectively and turn these situations into positives.

Based on 20 years of experience, The Luckiest Guy in the World has developed a series of online courses to help you create a game plan and play book that show you how to plan ahead so when you spot problems you’re not caught off guard.

To learn more about these courses go to: http://theluckiestguyintheworld.com/courses/

I invite you to explore these retirement issues and more on my bi-weekly podcast, Changing the Rules. Find it on your favorite podcast site or go to Changing The Rules.

by Raymond D. Loewe