About
I like long walks on the beach, but I prefer to feel the wind on my face while riding a sailboat. I love all types of music, but jazz really speaks to me. I love socializing with friends over a nice dinner and a fine glass of chardonnay. My family means the world to me, although I know I need to better balance work & life. I am not a techie by education, but am a power technology user and early adopter. If I could irradicate the world of only one thing, it would be all illnesses, specifically cancer. It took my father, is currently trying its best to tackle my mother, and has touched the lives of almost everyone I know.
My life’s passion is helping others navigate through the complicated world of work. I currently work for a Fortune 50 company and also own my own consultancy firm (www.terminationnation.com). Here’s my story:
I got my wake up call early in my career.
After graduating college and landing a great job in Human Resources at a global Fortune 500 high tech company, I thought I had it made. I mean, a great company, great salary, and great benefits! What else could a recent college grad want?
Within my first 6 months, we hit a multimillion dollar problem. The company announced a layoff of 700 employees. As an HR Manager, part of my job was to figure out who was getting laid off, prepare the notifications, and set up meetings with several hundred affected workers.
Although I did not get my own pink slip, the process of meeting face to face with more than 500 employees was emotionally excruciating for me . My stomach was upset, I could feel my heart racing, my hands were sweaty, tears were in my eyes, and my palms & underarms were embarassingly sweaty. But as bad as I felt, it was miniscule when I looked into the dejected, forlorn eyes of those impacted.
That’s when it hit me. These people weren’t ready for this.
There was controlled chaos and anxiety on the part of the company management representatives, the laid off employees, and those employees who were left behind to assume the additional work and carry on for the company. I don’t think anyone exited through the company doors that night with much dignity, no matter what group you were in.
What was even more despressing was that
1. Few of the managers ever expected to be in the position of guiding their organization through such a transition.
2. Many of the laid off employees had been there 10, even 20 years and had not given their ‘next move’ another thought. In their mind, there WAS no next move. So no advanced planning had ever occurred.
3. The employees who were left behind first were in shock. Then they were angry that their colleagues were let go and that they had to pick up the work, with no extra pay. Then the fear set in that their jobs too would someday be on the chopping block.
4. And nobody openly talked about their feelings surrounding the course of events! It was like a “necessary evil” had occurred and now should never be mentioned again. The personal stress everyone went through was never acknowledged.
Fortunately, I ended up being promoted after the layoff was over. I had established my resiliency and my reputation as a key player during that time. But I also knew then that I wanted to dedicate my career to guide others through times of workplace issues/anxiety & employment transitions.
And from that day forward, I have managed my career like a portfolio. I have continued to focus on adding new skills, experiences, and challenges to my work. I progressed through the executive ranks at multiple corporations, while honing my skills in employee relations, conflict resolution, employment transitions, Mergers & Acquisitions, re-organizations, workforce planning, communications planning, and organizational development.
Later, when I decided to launch a business so I could do work I loved, I thought of this. I realized I wanted to help other people remain in control of their workplace experiences. I now work with both individual and companies to help them remain in control of workplace issues & the employment transition process by reducing their inner fears and being a guide through the right approaches- all while keeping their dignity in tact.
Hopefully I can confidentially help you or a friend too! Thanks so much for stopping by! Let’s stay in touch!
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