Being laid off is painful. Laying off employees you care about hurts too. I’ve done both.
As daily waves of layoff news waft over us, my heart goes out to those on both sides of this tsunami. The question is: what’s going to be their strategy to bounce back?
Individuals ( and their families) are being thrown into a tailspin as the jobs and incomes they counted on are pulled out from under them. And though they know intellectually it’s “just business” – it feels personal.
Managers who are forced to make difficult decisions about people and projects they deeply care about are in pain too. They struggle to figure out how to get the work done with fewer people as they adapt their strategy to a new economic reality. And deep down, they worry they will be next.
The good news is that organizations — and individuals — can survive tsunami-sized disruptions. But only if they have a strategy to bounce back.
A friend of mine taught me this personally, during an earlier season of big tech layoffs.
Though he was encouraged by some to spend all his time looking for the next job, my friend recognized he was in a weird middle space.
He was leaving an old chapter behind but not yet firmly planted in the new one.
He decided to USE this liminal space to bounce back stronger. So he created a 5-POINT PLAN for how to spend his time.
He committed to doing 5 things EVERY DAY:
1. EXTRACT LEARNINGS: He reflected on the last chapter and journaled ( and updated his resume!) to reflect on what he’d learned and the new value he could bring.
2. STAY CURIOUS: He enrolled immediately in courses and certifications on topics he was genuinely interested in, especially where he saw disruptive trends.
3. HELP OTHERS: He volunteered to make a difference in his community and in doing so discovered new skills or ones he had forgotten.
4. CONNECT: He reached out to his network to catch-up and genuinely contribute and share ideas — not just to let others know he needed a job.
5. DEFINE THE NEXT STEP
Yes, this definitely included researching and applying for new jobs. But it also meant looking for opportunities in new industries and new companies and new roles.
The funny thing about my friend’s 5-point plan — he was having FUN! Despite not having a new job yet, my friend was focused and energized and growing, grounded in the fact that he had a bigger plan and a bigger purpose in this world.
You could just FEEL the momentum as he worked his plan to bounce back stronger. I felt inspired just being around him!
I ended up applying this 5-point plan during my own layoff journey, and have encouraged many friends and employees to put their own 5-point plan together… even BEFORE layoffs occur!
You and your organization – or someone you know — may be in a painful uncomfortable middle space right now. Or you may be driving a high-stakes strategy and shifting direction, no longer in the former place but not yet in the new. It can be scary.
Why not use this liminal time to implement a strategy to bounce back? You may end up having more fun than you ever expected!
I welcome your thoughts.
–Susan
This article is part of my series, to equip and energize leaders with practical ways to move people forward (whether you’re leading a new strategy or getting one back on track!) To get notifications of new posts and updates about my next book about how to fast-track your strategy, subscribe. And don’t be shy about sharing, leaving comments, or dropping me a private note with your reactions or ideas. I can be reached at susan.schramm@gotomarketimpact.com – and I would love to connect!
