I had a similar situation happen a year ago. An employee of a client asked me for advice about her job because she was unhappy. My contract with the client includes a "non-solicit" clause".
Instead of giving advice on the job, I gave her a list of questions to help her learn what her values were. Questions included: Any fears or resentments are a sign that my values are being violated. How can I use them to identify my values? What kind of dreams do I have for my work life? What resentments do I have towards my work, my boss, my company? How have I denied my feelings of resentment in order to keep getting a paycheck? Fear keeps us stuck in the same old patterns and actions. Sometimes, that is the only way that we can know that we have fear - we instinctively avoid certain actions, options, and possibilities. What have I avoided doing? What opportunities have I walked away from? What options for my life have I refused to acknowledge were there?
- Any fears or resentments are a sign that my values are being violated. How can I use them to identify my values?
- What kind of dreams do I have for my work life?
- What resentments do I have towards my work, my boss, my company?
How have I denied my feelings of resentment in order to keep getting a paycheck? - Fear keeps us stuck in the same old patterns and actions. Sometimes, that is the only way that we can know that we have fear - we instinctively avoid certain actions, options, and possibilities.
What have I avoided doing?
What opportunities have I walked away from?
What options for my life have I refused to acknowledge were there?
In this way, I did not violate the contract but could help the employee decide for themselves what action to take. (She was eventually terminated 6 months later for other reasons.)
