Turns out, as is so often the case, it’s one of Bill’s phrases this. Bill as in “The Bard” not “friend of”!There are a lot of people moving toward the exit sign in the workplace at the moment and not because of something they have necessarily done wrong.
A natural reaction is to stage a dramatic exit. How many people can I bring down with me? Whose desk should I nail the rotting halibut to the underside of? Exactly how much damage can I do in the Executive car park? And what is the best way of removing an HR Directors spleen? We always have a Hollywood script in mind to shout to the whole canteen that never quite comes out the way we intended and which is re-run over and over in the car or on the train as we head home.
Much as it pains many people to accept however, leaving as gracefully as possible is the best way to go. It’s not a relationship or even friendship thats ending here – its a legal contract and the real test is to treat it as a contractual arrangement that has now been completed.
The psychological composition of employment is interesting in the way it has evolved since sapiens first started trading labour. And IBM’s “job for life” concept is as dead as Matt Hancock’s political credibility. Companies create an illusion of people ownership and demand loyalty, trust and commitment in addition to you actually just doing your job. The result is “We are a big company with a big bank account that pays your salary so we have the power!?”. Try thinking this way “I am a professional who is very good at what I do. I’m selling my skills and expertise to you for a daily/weekly/monthly/annual rate. When its time to terminate that arrangement so be it. I have the power to go and sell these skills elsewhere”. Then shake hands and move on.
With this in mind therefore when “Big Brother” says we no longer want, need or can afford to buy these contractual arrangements from YOU Ltd the secret is to start looking forward with confidence as quickly as you can and back in anger as little as possible.
It always amazes me how often people reflect on these difficult times in say 2-3 years and honestly say that being let go was the best thing that ever happened to them. All truly is well, that ends well.
