Does this scenario sound familiar?

There’s the rumour of redundancy at your office, with the HR team in a huddle. There’s been some ‘confidential’ information accidentally leaked by one of the executive team, who’s assistant overheard the redundancy plans and so now everyone knows about it and you’re waiting to hear what’s going to happen!

If you’ve experienced this situation, or worse, had no warning at all when an organisation chooses to offer or impose redundancies, the common response is often fear. I know this because I have worked in large organisations and been part of the HR team when redundancies have been on the table for employees.

I understand that you may feel fearful, embarrassed or even ashamed that you are considering a redundancy, but I have good news for you. Just like I do with all of my clients, I am going to explain to you why choosing a redundancy may in fact be one of the best first steps to help you build the life you want and start living out some of your dreams you’ve been talking about!

I know it may not feel like that now, so let’s focus on the basics to help warm you up to why I think redundancy can give you a strong sense of freedom.

How are you Feeling?

Let’s tackle some of the emotions. If not framed correctly, in terms of how you perceive the redundancy, it can certainly be perceived as a negative experience, especially if you were not prepared for a change and have held on to the way things were, not how they are.

When I meet clients who have chosen a redundancy I ask them how they are feeling about it. Specifically, I like to know when they were given the redundancy paperwork, what was their reaction. Were they upset or shocked?

I ask this because I believe it is essential for you to take a moment and spend some time reflecting on what’s just happened.

Tips to Survive Redundancy

My hope for you is to look back on your redundancy with the same positive feelings as a colleague of mine who describes her redundancy (in retrospect) as a gift.

The reality is that if the redundancy has affected you personally, every time you get a knock back with new jobs you apply for, your trauma is going to be revisited. When there is a knock back you may take this personally. When you personalise a knock back, you start to say to yourself ‘I am not good enough’. So I need to be sure you are strong and ready, and this is how you will survive (and hopefully also blossom) as a result of the redundancy!

1. Talk About It

Emotional distress as a result of this unexpected change of events needs to be processed, so make sure you seek any counselling that is offered to you as part of your redundancy or make the effort to talk to your partner, family or friends about how you are feeling as a result of these changes.

I believe it’s really important to talk about your redundancy and to try to frame it in terms of the freedom it can potentially offer you! If you can move yourself emotionally to the idea that the decision has been made and you’re feeling comfortable that this change is an opportunity to take control of your life, then you are beginning to understand the feeling of freedom, and often also the relief, that can come with choosing a redundancy.

2. Take Time To Reflect

This means that rather than jump straight into the next step of job search, you need to take time out to reflect on who you are, what’s important to you and how you can use this change to build a better life. I recommend you ask yourself the following questions.

What can I do for the next 10 years?

What are my skills?

How can I transfer these to other industries?

How can I build a better life?

Think back to your childhood or consider any unfulfilled dreams. Do you want to explore self employment and start your own business?  Is there an industry you have always wanted to work in?

Take a moment…

How I Help

If you are considering your next career move, planning a change in career direction, returning to work or exploring a redundancy, we have the tools and experience to partner you through this journey.

The results we achieve through our down to earth and practical approach are recognised by clients as a key enabler in creating a better plan for many aspects of their lives.

Get in touch to map out your next career move. Contact Marina on 0414 443 815 or email marina@letzcreate.com.au

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post Why Redundancy Is a Unique Time to Take a Moment appeared first on Letz Create.

It’s Sunday afternoon. You’ve had a great weekend with the family or friends. The sun’s setting and a feeling of dread begins to come over you. This is a very familiar feeling and you’ve experienced it most Sunday nights for some time now.

If I am describing you, it seems you’ve got yourself stuck in a job where you are not happy. It’s common and I am asked by many clients to ‘get me out of here’.  But, you know what? Sometimes it’s not the job that’s the problem. Often, it’s the fact that you’re avoiding a difficult conversion with your manager, colleague or direct report. For some reason, along the way, you’ve experienced some conflict, or you’ve been handed a project you really dislike or you’re working with a department that’s really letting you down, and you’ve chosen to just suck it up, rather than deal with it.

In this Forbes article, 5 Keys of Dealing with Workplace Conflict, Mike Myatt makes a very meaningful point about leadership and conflict, stating that they “go hand-in-hand. Leadership is a full-contact sport, and if you cannot or will not address conflict in a healthy, productive fashion, you should not be in a leadership role.”

Ouch! That hurts doesn’t it? Well, my friend (okay, we may not know each other yet, and it may seem a bit familiar for me to be calling you that, but . . you know what I mean) . . . the truth does hurt. If you want to be the leader you know you can be and you want to progress your career, conflict needs to become your friend and asking someone to help you ‘get me out of here’ is perhaps not the first action you should be taking

But you haven’t taken action and you are avoiding the difficult conversations.

So it’s Sunday evening, and the feeling of dread is getting stronger.

There is good news!

You can have the courageous conversations with your manager or colleague and finally deal with the issues, once you know how. What you need to do is develop strategies to deal with what’s causing the feeling of dread. This will help you work your way through them in a less emotional and more proactive way.

I help many of my clients do this, which can lead to them choosing to stay in their current roles. They come to the realisation that, by tackling the issues that bother them more rapidly and as they occur, they are able to avoid the feeling of dread and are enjoying themselves much better on Sunday nights! And some of them even have a stronger sense of purpose about their roles as they are clearer about their overall career plan and where this current opportunity fits into their grand plan.

So here’s the thing. A Career Coach is much more than a person who can help you develop an action plan for your next career move. We are also experienced HR professionals who can guide you on how to achieve greater satisfaction in your current roles. So often I see clients make the mistake of thinking recruiters can play this role for them. Don’t make that mistake!

A Career Coach can help you be more effective in your current role, or, if you’d prefer, we can help you feel better on a Sunday night and avoid that feeling of dread. We can do this because we are your advocates!  For more about my views on this and the difference between a Career Coach and a Recruiter (and why you need to be talking to me WAY before the active job seeking phase) please read Career Coach Vs Recruiter: What You Need to Know!

Examples of Courageous Conversations I’ve Helped Clients Have

If you’re thinking “Marina, I’m not sure what you mean by a courageous conversation”, here are some examples of how I have helped my clients have courageous conversations. My aim is to help you understand why you will get value from investing time in yourself and seeing me for a career consultation to help you develop a stronger sense of your strengths, potential areas of development and possible next steps (within and beyond your current organisation).

• Conflict Resolution – how to broach more difficult topics with your manager, colleagues or direct reports that you perceive to be a potential for conflict (but they are part of the reason for the Sunday afternoon feeling of dread).
• Career Conversation with your Manager – how to explore with your Manager your options within the organisation to move sideways or up in the near future or how to seek feedback about why you were not considered for a recent promotion.
• Preparing for Performance Reviews – how to maximise the annual performance review conversation to help you receive recognition for your efforts and explore future career opportunities with your Manager.
• How to Identify a Mentor – in the absence of formal mentoring program within your organisation or industry body, I can show you how to approach relevant informal mentors within and outside of your organisation.

Marina Pitisano

I am a passionate Career Coach who works with individuals in the explore and search phase of their career journey, helping you realise your strengths through my career coaching and training programs. I enjoy showing people the path to greater career satisfaction and providing insight and tools to help you make your next career move.

The post I’m an Employee, Get Me Out of Here! appeared first on Letz Create.