I Didn't See it Coming

This week, we received some blindsiding news —delivered via text message, out of the blue, on Monday evening at 7 pm. Everyone is safe, thankfully, but the news sent our week into a logistical tailspin and led me into the stages of grief, as I attempted to make sense of something that, to me, simply did not make sense. 

As I processed the news, and specifically the way it was delivered, I couldn't help but think of the many leaders who find themselves delivering difficult news these days. Each week, there's a new roundup of layoff-related news that lands in my inbox. 

As leaders, we often have to make tough decisions. We may even find ourselves needing to “reduce headcount” or reduce budgets in a way that can only be done by reducing our team size. 

If this is the case, we have a choice about how we do it.

We can do it in a way that is effective immediately— walking someone out of the office that very moment while they scramble to collect their personal belongings or cutting off their system access before they have a chance to grab contact info for a friend from their inbox. 

Or, when possible (honoring any legal or security requirements), we can do it consciously and intentionally, offering notice and giving people time to prepare for what comes next.

Some of the most conscious companies we work with offer transition coaching in these instances. We've had the honor of helping a number of team members and senior-level leaders navigate what comes next and find their next opportunity when they were unexpectedly laid off or transitioned out of the organization. 

Some hard decisions and conversations will be inevitable.

And as leaders, we have a choice about how we deliver it and the ripples we create as a result. 

This post was originally shared via Friday Favorites —a free weekly curation of resources, reflections, and inquiries on leadership and life. Join us here, and join the weekly conversation, if you’d like.