Corpshank Redemption

I’ll never forget the feeling of sitting alone in a hotel room, thousands of miles from home, with tears in my eyes, knowing a re-org was coming—and it looked like I’d be part of it.

I was institutionalized.

My job, the second most important relationship in my life after family, was about to be ripped away. My company, which I loved, was about to dump me. They assured me it wasn’t personal—“It’s not you, it’s us”—but it felt like pure betrayal. I was convinced there was no life outside those corporate walls. I panicked about health insurance and scrambled to find a lifeline internally. I successfully scrambled.

But I was still institutionalized.

That helplessness of being at the mercy of a soulless organization sticks with me, even though it's all in the past now. Thankfully, I had amazing colleagues who supported me along the way, and I’ve tried to do the same for others when they’ve faced similar situations. Through those experiences, I picked up a few key lessons:

1) There’s always opportunity outside the company. When the re-org hits, start by looking beyond the walls.

2) Your loyalty belongs to the people who’ve treated you right, not the institution that sees you as just another peg in the board.

3) Bad managers struggle with letting good people go, so they justify it by convincing themselves those people “deserve” it.

4) If someone you respect gets laid off and you start treating them like damaged goods, you’re the problem. And trust me, karma’s got your number.

5) For more, check out my post "The Riddle."

If you’re ever going through a career transition and need to talk, I’m here.