The last couple weeks have been, to say the least, interesting. My daughter marked the end of middle school, making me the father of a high school freshman. We started looking at homes to buy in earnest. And then, suddenly, I got laid off.
Something interesting happened, though, as a result of the layoff. The way in which it was done has started a conversation about the layoff process. (By the way, I harbor no ill will to my former employer, nor do I feel badly about how the layoff was done – it was a pretty standard process. But if you’ve been laid off, or had to lay people off, you know that it’s generally unpleasant.) The conversation started on LinkedIn, but I’m seeing a similar discussion on Facebook. So possibly, some change may come about from that. Anytime we can look at a process, see how it impacts people, and start a discussion, I think that’s positive. That’s how change begins.
So what’s next for me? Well, starting today, I’ll be looking for a new challenge, a new opportunity to make change at a great organization. I’ll probably do some consulting, too. I’ll be calling a few people to let them know I’m probably going to have to delay my house purchase for a few months. (It’s really hard to qualify for a mortgage when you’re unemployed.) I’ll be guiding my daughter through her summer reading list and an online class.
But mostly I’ll be looking at which passage I might follow next.