Hi Reader,
Let's face it. Jobs and work are really weird right now. There's this mix of lots of openings, layoffs, people announcing they've started a new gig, people announcing they're leaving their old gig… all mixed with the emotional toll of trying to keep up and trying to let go. While so many of the discussions out there are about team members leaving, there's a scenario we all go through that's seldom talked about; when your boss is the person leaving. Today is about that.
There is nothing to prepare you for the first time you find out your boss has been fired.
About 15 minutes after arriving to the office, I got an email from my boss’ boss stating there was a meeting in 30 minutes in the conference room. Attendance was required and everyone on my team was invited. Those 30 minutes were some of the most anxiety inducing minutes I’ve ever had as a working professional. My mind began racing.
Those 30 minutes went by both incredibly fast and slow at the same time. We all packed into a room clearly not meant to seat as many people as had been invited. It was quiet. No one was talking. Few were looking at each other in the eye. About 5 minutes after I arrived, my boss’ boss arrived. Everyone was looking at them and holding their breath.
I don’t remember many details after that moment. Some people had questions about what it meant for them and their work. There were questions about plans to backfill. Most of the questions went unanswered.
Quietly, I was freaking out.
There is ALWAYS chatter behind the scenes after finding out your boss is leaving. Were they fired? Did they find another gig? What happens now? While you might not have all the context or reasoning why your boss left, there are two signals I’ve experienced to tell the difference.
It’s always more complicated than this, but when your boss is fired, I’ve found that I had little involvement in what happened next. That sucked. Conversely, when my boss resigned, there’s been more intention and planning about what happens next. When I was involved in the plan for what’s next, that was a good sign!
Twice during my career, the person who recruited and hired me was fired within six months of my arrival. Twice during my career, the person who recruited and hired me resigned for another opportunity. Each time, this person was an executive leader in charge of large teams. Each time, despite different circumstances surrounding why they left, each boss exhibited very similar behavior patterns.
After coaching and training design leaders for the last three years, I’ve heard others describe these same behavior patterns that premeditated their boss leaving. Here are some signals that in the near future, your boss may no longer be there.
It wasn’t until the second time that my boss left that I began to see these patterns. It wasn’t until the third time that I began taking more proactive steps when these signals began to emerge.
Btw, if you’re the boss and exhibiting these behaviors, your team is freaking out. It’s on you to show up differently.
When you begin noticing these signals or behaviors, I believe it’s important to notice them, then make deliberate decisions about what you’re going to do about them. Some that have helped me along the way are:
One thing is clear: things will change.
In my experience, there’s rarely a comprehensive plan for when someone is fired or resigned. At best, you’ll be involved in next steps. I have yet to see an organization that is thinking about your expertise and how your expertise is prioritized with the future direction of the company. More often, you’ll know who your new boss will be or what team you’ll be reassigned to. Either way, it’s good to breathe!
Having gone through this a few times, here are some things I wish I knew ahead of time so I wouldn’t freak out.
There’s only one guarantee in a job–at some point, everyone will leave. Even your boss. Coming to terms with this fact can help you when it becomes a fact.
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Alright, that’s enough for today. I hope the sun is shining on your face, perhaps your toes are in the grass, or you're warming up by a fire. As always, if I can be of help, please reply to this email.
– Ryan
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