Navigating disruption in your career
Shortly after 9/11, during the dot-com crash of the early 2000’s my beloved tech consulting firm had to do a very deep round of layoffs. It wasn’t the first or last round they went through as they struggled to recover from the drastic market changes. But in this particular round in December, I was one of the people on the list who was being let go. I was able to find a job shortly after that I loved, and even hire some of my fellow colleagues who were laid off. But the experience was profoundly unsettling and painful as I tried to find meaning and lessons during the transition. In another instance, I decided to make a big change in my career, leaving the safety of a comfortable role to jump into a wholly different industry. Whitney Johnson has a wonderful book and podcast called “Disrupt Yourself” which I found hugely helpful in thinking about working through transitions to find and embrace opportunity. But this post will share some ways to center yourself and move through the disruption that I have found helpful.
Make peace with what happened. No doubt THERE IS A STORY about why something went left instead of right. Or there was most certainly some big or small annoyance that caused you to get off the train you’re on and charter a boat (or whatever) for a new direction. You may feel angry, frustrated, sad, embarrassed, or whatever you feel. But you should think about ways to make peace with whatever happened. Don’t be defensive. Don’t carry that baggage around with you. It will weigh you down so you can’t see the opportunities in front of you clearly. Some ways I’ve tried to get there are to think about things everyday I’m grateful for in that experience or role. Such as: “I met amazing colleagues, I learned a ton, and I got to work on incredible projects.” And don’t stop there. Think about what you contributed and nailed as well. Recently I sat down with a talented woman reeling from a reorg during a power struggle at a small start up. She was taking it very personally that she was reassigned to a new role. I asked her to tell me about the wins she had while she was in the role, and she had so many! She put together a billing system, standardized hiring, and helped create processes for onboarding new team members. Once she started framing her role in context of what she was grateful for, and what she accomplished, she was able to feel more confident about tackling the next thing and went on to crush it.
Reconnect with people. Offer to help. The honest truth is I hate asking for help, but LOVE giving it. I am loathe to reach out to people when things are in flux and ask for advice, referrals, coaching — you name it I don’t want to ask. I’ve learned to connect and reconnect with people with an eye towards thinking of ways I can be of service to them. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving positive energy and encouragement, other times it’s opening my network to help someone. Years ago I was happily working in a role and the management structure shifted, effectively putting all of our projects on hold while they got up to speed. I decided to be more intentional about relationship building and offering positive support to colleagues to help us all better weather the change. This ended up being an incredibly inspiring period on what could have otherwise have been a stressful transition. In one case I helped a colleague feeling stuck apply for a new role. I deepened relationships with people I genuinely care about and was often too busy to hang out with. One great resource with strategies for getting reconnected with people was on the HBR Ideacast, “Networking Myths Dispelled.” David Burkus, author of the book “friend of a friend” shares ways for you to think about your network, and to approach deepening relationships with people you are already connected with. No surprise, social media posts and emails are not a substitute for conversation. The goal is to be your real self with your connections, think about ways to positively give what you can, and be open to what they also might be able to share with you.
Start a side hustle. AKA tap into one of your passions. For some people it may be knitting or crafts, for others it could volunteering or learning a new skill. This is the time to explore and invest in yourself. Think of it as a way to replenish your energy, or divert what could be nervous energy towards something productive. Disruption can be unsettling, so having something you’re excited about to think about, work on, and even tell your connections about (see above on networking) can be such a boon! Years ago when I disrupted myself and did a giant relocation from one time zone to another, I decided to take up cycling as a hobby. I was brand new to a new town and I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have friends and was a little lonely. So, I rode my bike to work everyday. I made friends who also liked cycling. I set goals for ambitious weekend rides and enjoyed pushing myself beyond what I thought I could do. It was such an important hobby for me. It helped me through the transition and just like that I was fully ensconced in a new life and community. I’ve had friends share that their hobbies and sides hustles have even turned into successful businesses!
You can steer and navigate effectively through career disruptions. It’s not easy and it can be unsettling. That’s normal. Getting laid off is so upsetting especially because it was out of your control. Even if it’s your choice to pursue something different— from switching majors in college to pivoting in a career, you will still have a transition to weather. So how you decide to move through the transition is hugely important. Make peace with what you can and can’t control. Focus on your accomplishments and lessons. Use this as a chance to reconnect with colleagues and friends. And find an outlet for you anxious or untapped energy. Volunteer and mentor that high school student, or take up running or whatever interest you’d like to pursue as you get ready to hit a new learning curve in your next big opportunity. Reaching your next destination is certainly important, but the journey along the way can also be a wonderful adventure if you focus and navigate it thoughtfully. Good luck, and please do drop a line if you want to work on connection. I’d love to hear from you!
