The experience of remaining “on board” at work after others have been let go may be like being a pirate on a vast ship. Some of your best mates are gone, you don’t know where the ship is headed next, or whether you want to be on board at a place like this.
Some of the feelings you might experience include relief, survivor’s guilt, rage, confusion, anxiety and loneliness. The cyclical nature of budget cuts, reorganizations and layoffs creates a toxic environment where we are afraid to speak our truths because we feel at risk. I become afraid to move forward because the direction seems to change and I feel uninformed about what is going on. Also, during turbulent times, political and hyper-competitive behaviors spike. This makes work feel even less safe.
It’s not surprising that sometimes I feel, of all things, jealousy of those who were let go. They are forced to reckon with what they want to do next with their lives, during a break. We are left with the mess and the looming feeling that it may be safer to be on the life boat rather than here in the giant ship.
Image: Our Flag Means Death, Max
Leaders and middle managers bear the brunt of stress during times of significant change, having both to usher that change forward and maintain an inspiringly positive attitude about it. Sounds terrifically tiring, right?
Resenteeism
Whether you were laid off, survived, or fear more layoffs in the future, the market right now seems to be a scary place. As many hunker down, we see terms rising such as “resenteeism.” Simply hanging in there, perhaps bitterly so, clinging to the job that you have, but giving up hope of career progression or meaning. Is rage applying a better strategy?
For the Crew: How to Hope
I am a cynical person who can barely get through an All Hands meeting without displaying a total RBF. So during more turbulent times, I try to keep a low profile until I have a handle on the stronger emotions. Listening to leaders provide you with a bunch of BS to satiate your questions without giving you any actual info can be super triggering.
Whether the changes directly impact your role or not, they may have shaken your view of the workplace as a stable place. These changes also may be rocking perception of your career is your identity, causing some existential crisis. If your career aspirations can be dashed at any moment, what has all the hard work been for?
It’s ok to step away and take some time off, or just get by for a while. Also ok to dream about full mutiny.
Feel and Process
You may want to journal, meditate, talk to a therapist, or otherwise take some space to get familiar with your feelings and process them. I do not recommend spending lots of time gossiping with colleagues, although it can be helpful to be open with trusted friends about your feelings. I find it helpful to work through my blocks and challenges with a career or life coach. 🗣️ Gossip may help you be more informed, but it also gets you focused on the negative, and potentially bringing others down.
During every difficult series of events in life we need to move past blame to get to the hope on the other side, taking responsibility for what’s ours.
Thank Your Lucky Stars ✨
Your boat is still afloat, your checks still cash, and you are needed in the world. Jot down some things you are grateful for every day, and set aside time to think about them and enjoy the small things.
Focus on Things that ⚓️ Anchor You
Whether you de-stress by hiking in the woods, running around the neighborhood, or engaging in creative art, make sure to set aside time for yourself to get that alone time to recharge and focus on what’s important. Seek out new hobbies if you don’t have any or have wanted to try something new. Learn how to ground, and consider exploring what means the most to you. I find it fulfilling to engage in spiritual practice, including the study of the I-Ching.
Help Others
One way to improve your outlook is to volunteer your time to help others. I volunteer as a coach for Dress for Success, using my skills to help women find work and improve their lives. You could offer referrals or connections to those who lost their jobs, or spend time volunteering for a cause that’s meaningful to you. This gives you more perspective on your privilege and connects you with what matters.
Prioritize What’s Important Right Now
It’s ok to deprioritize work when your needs there are not getting met. Especially during times of turbulent change, management may not have the answers you need or want to hear- when things will stabilize or what the strategic plans are. It can be helpful to distance yourself from the drama and focus on developing yourself in other areas of your life. Identify what you are not getting in your current work environment, and how you can achieve this in other ways or by being more creative in how you ask for it. Focus more on understanding what you want than what you don’t have.
Explore Your Values and Chart a Path
In your personal career journey, you need to anchor your skills, preferences and daily actions in what you value most highly. In the end, what you choose to do with your work days should align with what is important to you, even more so than aligning with a corporate objective or the approval of your mentors. It’s the intersection between what you value highly and what brings you joy and focus where your renewed focus should be. Maybe in another field seeing growth in the next five years.
What Kind of Leader Do You Want to Be?
Regardless of whether you aspire to manage a team or be an individual contributor, you still exhibit leadership. Act as if you were your favorite leader. WWYD? (What would YOU do?) Bring your vision of your potential to life. Continue to develop yourself, knowing it will give you confidence no matter where you bring those skills.
Find ways to demonstrate your leadership to make things better for the crew.
Captain Stede Bonnet (from Our Flag Means Death) was not always the most capable one in the crew, but he had his leadership moments. Reading to them bedtime stories, bringing them together to design flags, and encouraging them to communicate and work as a team.
Lufy the self-acclaimed King of the Pirates was a different type of pirate leader as well. His team were a crew of loners who learned to trust each other and leveraged each others’ strengths.
Sharpen Your Skills and Swagger
Whether you plan to look for a new role elsewhere or want to expand and grow within your company, you should always look to be learning more about your field. Talk to experts, take training opportunities offered by your work and elsewhere, and broaden your network of mentors and connections.
Move Forward
It can be tempting to plan your way out of a stressful situation, but at times the only thing that can be done is to rest up and wait. By focusing on what matters to you and how you can contribute at work or in the world, you can maintain stability during times of change and upheaval.
Resources
- Goal Setting is Important, But So is Letting Go of Control
- How Can We Stay Hopeful When Life is Overwhelming?
- Check out Our Flag Means Death and learn about the real story of Stede Bonnet the Gentleman Pirate
- Watch One Piece Live Action on Netflix
- Schedule a Discovery Call ☎️ to brainstorm with me about your career goals
