August 2007

 

Letting leaders go can be a difficult decision, especially when there is a positive work relationship and perception that letting this person go may put them in a difficult re-employment situation.  Three scenarios often surface when there is reluctance to let a leader go.

1.      Maverick leaders whose work and relational style get mixed responses and are trying to turnaround a somewhat checkered work history.

2.      Leaders who are no longer key players in the organization and whose termination would present a significant disruption both personally and professionally. 

3.      Leaders who have not kept pace within their field and now face a very limited market for their background.

In the absence of any real hope that these leaders will find rewarding career opportunities after termination, a false hope arises that they will leave of their own accord.  Not likely!  Many leaders have an inherent emotional attachment to their work that makes it very difficult to recognize it’s time for a change, unless an opportunity finds them.

If a concern about a leader’s limited career opportunities is postponing the decision for the organization, it’s time to take a closer look at career options, both traditional and nontraditional, that could open up for these talented individuals.  Consider the following:

· Some may have been privately toying with a business idea, and job loss triggers a more serious and energized effort in the direction of starting a business or purchasing a franchise. 

· Others find new self-awareness during job transition that leads to a lesser role or smaller organization that plays to their strengths.

· Some struggle with corporate life and finally recognize that consulting work or contract assignments provide both the challenge and the continuity they seek. 

· Still others pursue avocational interests, philanthropic endeavors, or nonprofit employment that provides a much-desired sense of mission or taps into a passion that brings a new vitality to work. 

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It rarely makes sense to extend a leader’s stay because of employability concerns.  Hope may not always spring eternal, but it certainly surfaces in diverse ways on the heals of job loss.  Time and time again, while coaching leaders through job transition, we hear that being “let go” was an uncomfortable but surprising gift.

Call us, we can help.

 

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