Remember it is not personal!!!

Remember it is not personal!!!

I am taking time out form my series on “staffing function” to address those in need.

Times are strange right now. People are losing their jobs for the strangest reasons. You must always remember that in most cases it is not personal. In most cases it is not personal, it is business. That is not to say sometimes it is never personal, politics make for strange bedfellows, I have been victim of that myself more than once. However in most cases it is not, it is simply business.

The key is to remember you are not in it alone. It is happening to others, and in most cases it has nothing to do with performance. Do not despair or let it get to you. Out there someplace is the perfect job, the one that is meant for you and gets you excited to get up every morning.

Also remember there are others out there willing to help. Do not be afraid to reach out and ask for help, that is what they are there for. I would be more than willing to help anyone, in any way I can, so please feel free to reach out to me- dadc43@comcast.net.

The key is to remember it is not personal and there are those us ready and willing to help, all you have to do is ask.

Comment by Valentino Martinez on April 15, 2011 at 3:40am: Dean,

Your blog title, “Remember it is not personal!!!”-- is one way to look at the rather common situation these days of employees getting laid-off for non-performance reasons. Your reminder that many people are similarly affected and that there are “help options” available and people who care, to include yourself—is laudable. Also, don’t take it personal because the idiom misery loves company applies here as layoffs lately have been broadly applied across all industries—some worse than others--and a lot of good people were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. So you the laid-off employee are not the exception—you’re part of a larger population similarly affected.

While I agree with your suggestion to stay positive and be network oriented, I take a different tact on this subject. My title would be: "When Business Gets Personal", because when an employer makes a business decision to let you go, and it’s not bad performance related--it's still your career that is halted, stunted, waylaid, or otherwise interrupted—so it is personal. It's personal because your working career flow, and YOU (and your dependent family) are directly affected and you must adjust immediately, or soon thereafter. Business decisions have business ramifications as well as personal ramifications if employees matter—even ex-employees. If you're an ex-employee out in the cold--it's so very personal.

So my advice to ex-employees is to take it very personal and use that emotion as part of your motivation to get back on your career trek. The other part is to take a strategic and positive attitude approach, rather than a negative personal vendetta stance against a former employer. Sometimes you may be at the wrong place at the wrong time and end up on the hit list for layoff. Sometimes it may be a fellow employee’s outstanding performance that made your good performance a bit more expendable. However, going negative or wallowing in grief would be a waste of time and energy. Your mission is to reposition yourself back into similar or related work; go back to school; or go the entrepreneurial route to get back into business. And when you do get back into business and the workplace—be vigilant and keep your job performance amped-up and work results well above average--otherwise you may soon be out, standing, looking in.