"We're not going to need you here any more. I'm sorry." That's all the boss said when he called Tim into his office that Friday afternoon. "Oh, and no severance. Sorry about that too." Tim was devastated. He said there had been no warning. Just like that, his income and professional life were gone.

Susan and Ben didn't see it coming either. Ouch! All three were bitter about the lack of notice, but after discussing what happened, a different picture emerged. The signs were there for the savvy person to read and act upon. Here are a few of them:

Lack of motivation for the job
Susan was a star performer until the new vice president abruptly changed her department, eliminating several positions. He also reassigned her from the type of projects she loved and did expertly. Overnight, she lost all enthusiasm for the job and has been going through the motions ever since. Though she had good reason to be angry, she now realizes she was foolish to think she could hide her feelings. She's no actress, and her true feelings and resentment were being read loud and clear. Many people hate their jobs, but wrongly believe their supervisor and co-workers don't know.

Lack of Promotions/Demotions
Tim loved his job and the great relationship he enjoyed with Mark, the COO.  His responsibilities and influence extended far beyond his department. Then a newly-hired manager named Martha started bending Mark's ear. She convinced him to reverse several of Tim's decisions, and assumed some of Tim's  responsibilities. Although he kept the same title, in essence, Tim had been demoted. Tim gamely co-operated with Martha, believing it would work out and he would be redeemed. He never saw that his head was on the company guillotine. If the company shows no positive signs about your performance, they may be looking for your replacement.



Being left out of projects and decisions
Tim was told someone "forgot" to invite him to two important project meetings. Meetings with the COO became increasingly difficult to arrange. He felt increasingly isolated and "out of the loop." People went to Martha with their ideas, problems, and questions.

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Is your job in danger? 
I invite you to have a no-obligation conversation to see if we can help. Call 847-673-0339 or send an email.  Sometimes, we've been able to avoid firing or at least postpone it to give people time to get a new job. We also help to negotiate severance so you're not left out in the cold.
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Conflict disappearing
Ben and his supervisor didn't see eye to eye on much, and there was a thinly-veiled hostility between them. Twice, it had escalated into an open argument. This in itself was alarming. Then, suddenly, the tension disappeared. The boss was almost pleasant. Ben misinterpreted this change and felt relieved--until he got the termination notice. Once the boss knows you're on the way out, there's little reason to fight.Beware if you find yourself making up explanations for the way you're treated, whether the treatment is good or bad. Consider the odd behavior against the test question, "If the person acting strangely knew about your imminent demise, would the behavior then make sense?"


If any of this sounds familiar, be in action
One strategy is to acknowledge the situation and negotiate a way out. Susan might have said, "Look, it's obvious this isn't working. I'd like to discuss phasing out."  She might negotiate severance and/or time to look for a new job.

Another strategy is to set up projects and outside-the-office meetings that give you freedom and flexibility to go on interviews. Then crank up a job campaign pronto!

Finally, if you think you have a case for discrimination by race, creed, color, age, gender, etc., consult a lawyer about available remedies. Whether you use those remedies or not, having them available can give you leverage and confidence in negotiating severance.