What a bummer, I got fired yesterday. Bounced unceremoniously like an old worn out dishrag. It was swift and ruthless but apparently necessary.

Thank God my dignity was left intact. No one walked into my office and gave me some long-winded crap thanking me for my significant value and then blaming impersonal budget cuts, that apparently no one is responsible for creating.

It’s always personal when someone gets the boot, at least to them.

I was glad the intercom didn’t buzz and announce that I needed come to HR immediately. The world knows when the boot comes through the intercom. I didn’t have to do the dead-man walking (through the halls) routine but, nonetheless, I got canned.

I must admit, it tore at my gut. I literally felt like crying. I’d worked so hard. How could I have failed?

Crying wouldn’t help. Business is like baseball in that regard. But at least I didn’t have to tell my wife.

You see, I fired myself.

I knew there was more I could do that I didn’t do. I worked my butt off but somehow I didn’t get everything out of my ability that was inside.  There was more value within my head, my heart, my soul, and there was only one way to get it out of me.

I fired myself figuratively. No one knows I did it but many are feeling the effects.

Over the weekend I stopped thinking about office politics, budget decisions that no longer had any relevance, and everything in the “Past” column.

Starting Monday this was a new job, a new chance, a new value I would have to bring to survive, add more value, and improve my team’s performance. I decided to approach my work as though I’d just been given a new assignment, which I did.

My mindset was one of a new hire. I acted like my new boss had just called me in and said, “This business is broken and we’re looking for you to get us on-track. Fix our processes, evaluate the team, empower the winners and address the losers swiftly, find ways to increase shareholder value now, get some early wins…”

So on Monday I looked myself in the mirror and responded, “Yes, sir!”

The point of this silly little story is, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow of whatever it is we’re doing. But becoming part of the status quo doesn’t move the needle. If we really want to matter, if we really want to succeed, we have to challenge ourselves in major, not minor, ways and own the results.

If you’re up for that, then fire yourself and come in, as a new hire, and make something happen now.

My team was surprised, and I dare say, inspired by my decisiveness, assertiveness, and willingness to take on calculated risks.

Only you know if you need to be fired. But if you ask me, it’s time to give the new person a chance. He or she just might surprise you.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink