“You’re fired.”
“We’re downsizing.”
Laid off.
Pink slipped.
Out sourced.
Terminated.
Whatever the creative euphemism, the results are the same. You’re out of work. Your cash flow is interrupted. Your ego is crushed. And your career is on hold.
Your fingers search for your friendly neighborhood headhunter. You’ve just been shitcanned.
Over the next few weeks or month, you’ll spin the tale in a more favorable light. “It was time for a change.” “This gives me more time to find out if this is really the career that’s right for me.” And blah, blah, blah.
You hear it everyday in the media:
“He left because of creative differences.” They wanted him to be creative. He wanted to be different.
“She left to pursue other interests.”
Like what? Bird watching? Let’s see if we have this right. Someone dedicates a decade or two of their life to a career and then decides to grow roses at the ripe old age of 47? I don’t think so.
Truth is, she had to pursue other interests because the company had no more interest in her. Period. Here’s a hearty handshake a wonderful partying gift. If you’re lucky.
No one and no company is immune. Today’s work force saunter into the office, when they’re good and ready, armed with an attitude, entitlement issues and absolutely no experience dealing with the corporate world. You can almost see them sharpening their tanto ready for the inevitable Seppuku.
Over the last thirty years, I’ve realized many of these corporate mortal wounds were self-inflicted. The pain, embarrassment and psychological devastation could have been easily avoided. Attitude and ego are the lethal poisons that do in tens of thousands of employees every year. If the company says black, they say white.
Now, I’m not suggesting we fill our halls and offices with “yes” men and woman with rubber spines. But there are some attitudes that simply beg for unemployment.
We’ve all been there. “The meeting.” The numbers are in. Profits are down. It’s the fourth quarter. Let’s try to put a shine on this financial turd and get rid of some deadwood.
Every department-head has their list of names. The lottery of losers is about to begin. I must say, however, that up until about thirty minutes into this meeting, none of these wonderful, fellow employees were losers. But the minute their name is added to the list of casualties, those five letters will be written across their forehead as they walk their boxes to the car. Capital L. Capital O. Capital S. Capital E. Capital R.
When asked why they were “let go”. One reason that always rears its ugly head, is attitude.
Here’s the reality. They all did something to earn the distinction of the “better them not me” club on that fateful Black Friday Although, lately, any day of the week will do. Hell, I know someone who was terminated two days before Christmas.
After all, it’s business not personal.
That’s a great line from “The Godfather.” The movie about unscrupulous individuals who will quickly dispose of people for more power and money.
Sound familiar? That’s the take every person who’s ever been out of a job assumes. “They were out to get me.” And out you went.
But why?
It is my contention many of these events can be avoided.
Look, I’ve been to those meetings. I’ve held those lists. I’ve added the names. And I can say in all honesty when the time came to give them the “corporate Kevorkian”, except for two people, they all knew it was coming. A few of them were surprised it didn’t happen sooner.
The two people who were shocked and physically shaken thought I was calling them in to give them a raise. When I heard that, I was physically shaken. They didn’t have clue one they were on the bubble. Some might say as a manager I should have given them a warning. I figured being taken off of four accounts in six months might have been a fair warning. Or being put on probation twice in a year and a half could give one pause to think they were doing less than a stellar job. But that’s just me.
Of course, all of them had talent. But talent is the price of admission. It’s the extra credit points that count. When else do they bring to the company party?
While all of them sat in total disbelief, it would have been impossible to convince them they were the ones who loaded the gun and pulled the trigger.
“We’re downsizing.”
Laid off.
Pink slipped.
Out sourced.
Terminated.
Whatever the creative euphemism, the results are the same. You’re out of work. Your cash flow is interrupted. Your ego is crushed. And your career is on hold.
Your fingers search for your friendly neighborhood headhunter. You’ve just been shitcanned.
Over the next few weeks or month, you’ll spin the tale in a more favorable light. “It was time for a change.” “This gives me more time to find out if this is really the career that’s right for me.” And blah, blah, blah.
You hear it everyday in the media:
“He left because of creative differences.” They wanted him to be creative. He wanted to be different.
“She left to pursue other interests.”
Like what? Bird watching? Let’s see if we have this right. Someone dedicates a decade or two of their life to a career and then decides to grow roses at the ripe old age of 47? I don’t think so.
Truth is, she had to pursue other interests because the company had no more interest in her. Period. Here’s a hearty handshake a wonderful partying gift. If you’re lucky.
No one and no company is immune. Today’s work force saunter into the office, when they’re good and ready, armed with an attitude, entitlement issues and absolutely no experience dealing with the corporate world. You can almost see them sharpening their tanto ready for the inevitable Seppuku.
Over the last thirty years, I’ve realized many of these corporate mortal wounds were self-inflicted. The pain, embarrassment and psychological devastation could have been easily avoided. Attitude and ego are the lethal poisons that do in tens of thousands of employees every year. If the company says black, they say white.
Now, I’m not suggesting we fill our halls and offices with “yes” men and woman with rubber spines. But there are some attitudes that simply beg for unemployment.
We’ve all been there. “The meeting.” The numbers are in. Profits are down. It’s the fourth quarter. Let’s try to put a shine on this financial turd and get rid of some deadwood.
Every department-head has their list of names. The lottery of losers is about to begin. I must say, however, that up until about thirty minutes into this meeting, none of these wonderful, fellow employees were losers. But the minute their name is added to the list of casualties, those five letters will be written across their forehead as they walk their boxes to the car. Capital L. Capital O. Capital S. Capital E. Capital R.
When asked why they were “let go”. One reason that always rears its ugly head, is attitude.
Here’s the reality. They all did something to earn the distinction of the “better them not me” club on that fateful Black Friday Although, lately, any day of the week will do. Hell, I know someone who was terminated two days before Christmas.
After all, it’s business not personal.
That’s a great line from “The Godfather.” The movie about unscrupulous individuals who will quickly dispose of people for more power and money.
Sound familiar? That’s the take every person who’s ever been out of a job assumes. “They were out to get me.” And out you went.
But why?
It is my contention many of these events can be avoided.
Look, I’ve been to those meetings. I’ve held those lists. I’ve added the names. And I can say in all honesty when the time came to give them the “corporate Kevorkian”, except for two people, they all knew it was coming. A few of them were surprised it didn’t happen sooner.
The two people who were shocked and physically shaken thought I was calling them in to give them a raise. When I heard that, I was physically shaken. They didn’t have clue one they were on the bubble. Some might say as a manager I should have given them a warning. I figured being taken off of four accounts in six months might have been a fair warning. Or being put on probation twice in a year and a half could give one pause to think they were doing less than a stellar job. But that’s just me.
Of course, all of them had talent. But talent is the price of admission. It’s the extra credit points that count. When else do they bring to the company party?
While all of them sat in total disbelief, it would have been impossible to convince them they were the ones who loaded the gun and pulled the trigger.