Yesterday my manager surprised me and asked me point-blank if I was looking for another job. My LinkedIn profile is somewhat active, so I thought he might have seen something. I decided to be honest and told him, "I'm always looking at the next step." I immediately reassured him not to worry and explained that a mentor advised me years ago to never get complacent and to always be aware of new opportunities that arise.
I assured him that I'm genuinely happy in my job, but I'd be a fool if a truly great opportunity came along and I didn't consider it. I felt that honesty was the best way to handle the situation.
His reaction honestly surprised me. He told me it's very hard to find committed employees like me and started talking about the potential I have if I stay with them. (For context, this is a large finance company). He then laid out a full three-year plan for the department and showed me exactly where I fit in, something he's never done before.
I can't help but feel that this honesty might work in my favor. Maybe now he'll make a real effort to ensure I want to stay. But what do you all think? Was this the right decision, or am I naive? Could this backfire on me later? Do you think this built trust, or did I just put a target on my back?