Three Steps to Dealing with Layoff Survivors Guilt

I've been a manager for 13+ years.

Until today, I'd never had to reprimand, fire, or layoff an employee.

Much of that was luck. I've had good (in character and performance) employees.

Some of that was design. I've always carried lean teams and worked hard to make sure my management teams knew that.

But this economic situation was too big. So today, as part of a larger action, I had to lay off employees.

They handled it with grace and professionalism.

For those of us who remained, there was a dark cloud hanging over the day.

Empty cubicles, bare walls, farewell emails, and hushed hallways - the residue of something bigger than all of us.

The wisest comment I've heard over the past few days came from a security manager who said, "They were our friends and colleagues yesterday. Let's treat them in a way that honors that and allows them to be our friends and colleagues tomorrow, even though they won't work here."

Amen...

My three steps to dealing with the cloud?

1. Taking the top down on my car for the drive home. Wind and sun are my disinfectant.
2. Two Long Island Iced Teas with dinner. Yes, sometimes alcohol is the answer (or part of it).
3. Cary Brothers on the stereo at home. Like Snow Patrol, Cary Brothers excels in "uplifting sorrow". Listen to "Glass Parade" or "If You Were Here" and you'll see what I mean.