{"id":52,"date":"2018-09-14T23:49:04","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T23:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debfreer.com\/?p=52"},"modified":"2019-01-30T00:06:56","modified_gmt":"2019-01-30T00:06:56","slug":"after-the-gut-punch-twelve-rules-for-surviving-losing-your-long-term-executive-position","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debfreer.com\/index.php\/2018\/09\/14\/after-the-gut-punch-twelve-rules-for-surviving-losing-your-long-term-executive-position\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAfter the Gut Punch: Twelve Rules for Surviving Losing Your Long-Term Executive Position\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You were blindsided and that was on\npurpose. You\u2019ve been\nin your executive position at your organization, perhaps in the C suite, for a\nlong time, maybe even 25 years. You looked up from your desk to see Security\nand HR and then you were ushered out of your office. They told you that your\npersonal things will be sent. You are in shock, you are embarrassed. Just like\nthat, it\u2019s over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare no guidebooks for high achieving executives like you when they get asked to\nleave a job, and company, one they very well may have loved going to every day.\nYou loved the people you worked with and were thrilled to be part of the\nbroader backbone of the company. You thought you were part of the\ndecision-making inner circle. So, what do you do now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PHASE\nONE: THE FIRST WEEK<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Go to Paris. <\/strong>Or Venice. OK, it could be\nScranton, if that floats your boat. But you need to take a vacation. Get out of\ntown. Because you cannot be reactionary \u2013 you must carefully plan your future\nand get ready to take the following steps. Realize that, now, your job is to\nfind a job and it is up to you to own the process and control it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PHASE\nTWO: MONTH ONE \u2013 MONTH TWO<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Take a professional inventory.<\/strong> Create a\nspreadsheet of the responsibilities of the position you lost. What did you\nlove? What motivated you and how did the position propel your career? What, if\nyou never had to do it again, would have you wildly cheering at your newfound\nfreedom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Take a personal inventory.<\/strong> How did you\nget in this position? Is there something you could have done differently? For\nexample, did you \u201cplay the game\u201d the way it had to be played at your company?\nWere you visible enough? Political enough? Were you simply downsized? Be honest\nwith yourself. This is the step to express whatever it is you need to\nexpress\u2026to yourself. Because holding grudges or keeping negative feelings\ninside will only lead to stagnation and frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Imagine your perfect day \u2013 at work.<\/strong>\nWhere do you go? What do you wear? Who do you work with, if anyone at all? What\ndo you do? What do the people mean to you? Think about this day from the moment\nyou open your eyes to the second you close them. This visualization process may\nlead you to change careers. Or change industries. Or it may lead you right back\ninto a situation similar to the one you just left. But you need to figure out\nwhat you truly want before you create your future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Speak to the outplacement agency<\/strong>. I\nknow, you think you don\u2019t need one. People at your level don\u2019t use one. Jobs\nmagically appear. No, they don\u2019t. Use the resources supplied to you. And don\u2019t\njust use them, embrace them. In many ways, it\u2019s like going back to school and\nyou need to be the best self-motivated \u201cstudent\u201d you can possibly be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Identify a mentor.<\/strong> I love coaching\nexecutives through this transition period. It is challenging and rewarding.\nTypically, I hear all about why they don\u2019t need me\u2026until they realize the value\nof a sounding board, advisor and guide. And then I hear from them all the time.\nRemember, we all need someone, no person should be an island. And in this case,\noutside of your family, it\u2019s imperative to work with an outside coach or\nadvisor who knows intimately the \u201clay of the land\u201d when it comes to your\nsituation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Read and research.<\/strong> The internet makes\nit easy to keep up on news and information about where you want to land.\nEducate yourself and keep up to date on your industry and any other you\nenvision entering. Be sure to embrace sites like LinkedIn, which is an\nextremely way to increase your network, re-establish relationships, and enhance\nor even circumvent the endless online job application process that is a\nnecessary evil at all levels, even yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Reach out.<\/strong> You did not achieve all that\nyou achieved by following the rules. So, beyond the online forms and sending\nyour resume out reactively to job postings, write a letter to the CEO of the\norganization that you think is the right fit. Be passionate, proactive and\nproductive (\u201cThe 3 Ps\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Give yourself the gift of time.<\/strong> You\nspent at least 12 hours per day in your previous position and, right now,\nfinding a new one requires about 5-8 hours per day only. So take the time left\nover and do something new for yourself for the duration. Yoga, walking,\nknitting, golf, tennis, reading, writing, martial arts or whatever moves you. Feed\nyour soul and you will be better for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.\nNetwork, network, network.<\/strong> There is\nnothing more important during this phase than networking \u2013 re-connect with\nformer colleagues and other contacts, ask those people for names of others you\ncan reach out to, use tools like LinkedIn to power-build your network, and\nreach out cold to your peers from other companies. Networking needs to be the\nfoundation of your search. Make it a two-way street, so when you are asking for\ntheir help, offer your contacts your help in return. There may very well be\npeople you know who they may want to meet and add to their own network. And, as\nyou go through this process, always keep in mind the importance of maintaining\nyour newfound and expanded network as you continue your career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PHASE\nTHREE: THE REST OF YOUR LIFE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11.\nEmbrace your experience.<\/strong> You did\nthings a certain way for many years, but in the time since your left your last\nposition, you have learned new ways. Bring them into your new life and celebrate\nthe change. Simultaneously, look to learn and embrace new technology and new\nways of doing things that companies may find appealing. Always moving forward\nand learning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12.\nRemember. Pay it forward.<\/strong> Think\nabout all the people who helped you in your transition to your new place in the\nworld. And when you get the call from someone who has just been crowbarred out\nof their professional role, tell him or her that you would be more than happy\nto meet, but first, \u201cGo to Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deb Freer is a seasoned executive specializing in leading\nbusiness operations, global leadership, mentoring, and strategic planning and\nexecution in the financial services\/investment banking world. As a\nTransformation Champion, Deb guides both organizations and executives through volatility\nand substantive change. Her subject matter expertise spans policy\/procedure\nimplementation, diversity, corporate governance, M&A integration, business\nprocess optimization, regulatory compliance, crisis management, and talent management.\nwww.debfreer.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"