WHEN HIGH FUNCTIONING PEOPLE GET DERAILED

“Just a second, I have a quick zoom meeting and then I can chat” you tell your partner in the other room. Obviously, we’re in COVID and work and home are one in the same.

You jump online for a 1:1 and get the news.

You’ve been terminated.

“I want to be clear this has nothing to do with your current performance. This is a business decision…”

And then your mind blurs as you get told the details of severance, dates and what to do with all of your tech.

And dark screen.

Your partner walks into the room with your cup of coffee to chat through your plans for the weekend. They see the blank stare on your face.

“What happened”

And the damn breaks.

As high functioning people, we have plans. We’re supposed to leave room for the things that come up but as type A’s – we have plan B for that.

We assume that if we did get terminated we'd have more time to do all the things. You’d read more, take some online learning classes, learn a new language, brush up on some missing skills, spend time with your kids. And of course, when you’re ready you would reach out to your network.

But in COVID – we have been so mired by our day to day responsibilities, we haven’t been as active as we want. We haven’t networked nearly as much. Those who are isolated perhaps have struggled with some depressions while those managing families have yet to have alone time since March when they had a commute they could rely on for a breath.

At LinkedIn, we had to let go of 6% of the workforce this week. It’s awful, and I know this news is likely just the beginning of more news to come as the Forbes recently posted. Having been on both ends of this news I can only offer a few thoughts.

To those who are looking to hire:

• If someone refers someone to you – please take a moment and speak to them. Someone wouldn’t refer someone if they didn’t believe them to be a good fit
• Let go of the traditional questions you would normally ask about a “time you X” and have a conversation. I have seen a myriad of articles floating around recently about how the “perfect candidate” is not something we can truly achieve. Actually, many of the skills people have learned during COVID will be invaluable going forward in a more fluid and nimble working environment
• Don’t ask about their most recent experience. It’s fresh. Ask about when the transition was made to WFH. What did they think? What did they do? How did they set themselves up? These questions will help you get a sense of this person's character and what they value

For those looking for roles:

• Take a beat. Process what has happened because if you don’t – it’s going to come out in another aspect of your life and it’s not worth wrecking relationships over
• When ready - blatantly ask for introductions. Search roles, see who knows someone who can introduce you and ask to be introduced. The squeaky wheel will always get the oil
• On the flip side - just apply. It may have been some time since you’ve interviewed and interviewing in itself is a skill. The more interviews you can get yourself into, the better you’re going to be when the key gig you want comes around
• I know it seems hard but think about what you liked and did not like about where you came from. Identify the skills you wish you had and get them. Get them via video tutorials, videos and blogs.

Finally know this passes. I can’t think of one person I know in my career history who was restructured who did not say “I came out better in the end”. It forces some to take their side hustle seriously. It forces others to get the skills they have been meaning to get. It always forces people to get out of their comfort zone to try something new.

It’s not easy but we’ll get through this.