Empathy, Part II

Leadership Pro Tip: If your organization has recently held layoffs, do NOT schedule a same-day meeting for a very large group with a vague subject, no guidance for the content of the meeting, arrive 7 minutes late, and discuss upcoming future changes to the organization in vague terms.  

Yeah, how was YOUR Wednesday?  I woke up glad to know I wouldn't be seeing any political ads for at least two weeks, before they start all over again.  Got upstairs, and discovered my older puppy had some ... well, let's just say elimination issues with regards to a rather rich ... dietary enhancement SOMEONE (not I) gave him.  We could call it that, or we could call it "Poo-palooza".  Yeah.  You do not need further details.

But after I cleaned the carpet, got the dogs fed, out in the rain, fed myself, and got punched in to work, I get a rather urgent meeting invite. The subject is vague, the invitation from someone who is not in my normal circle of communication, and the attendee list is hidden.  It also conflicts with another meeting.  As I contemplate which meeting to attend and which person to ... aggravate, the "good" news comes as the previously scheduled meeting is shifted an hour later.  So I accept the meeting.  It's not like not showing up to the firing squad is going to delay the inevitable, so I might as well be there.

Stressing out all morning as I try to plow through, and realize I'm darned near caught up with my work load.  Then the meeting rolls around.  I log in 5 minutes early, because to be early is to be on time, prepared to open the meeting.  I get dialed in, I'm all ready to take notes by hand, on screen, and my phone is muted to avoid any strange noises coming from me.  Then ... one, two, three, four minutes late, none of the people who are going to lead the meeting are there.  Five minutes late, someone pops in, says they've been delayed, they'll be here shortly.  

The first one shows up, drops in a power point with pretty slides with vague statements about reorganization on them.  The speech is launched.  Most of us are on mute, no comments or kibbitzing in the side chat, nothing at all.  About twelve minutes into the reorganization speech, someone finally has the guts to ask the question I'm sure we're all not going to line the answer to - "Any headcount changes to be expected?"

Yup.  One person is retiring.  We're reorganizing along some different lines, focusing on a few other things, and oh, by the way, no changes in the team I'm on, no changes in what we do or how we do it, but they wanted to make us aware.

I am betting if I'd had a blood pressure cuff on, my BP would have spiked to darned near the "pre-check" moment in every physical where the doctor hasn't yet put the rubber glove on.  You know what I mean.  As soon as "no changes to head counts, no new layoffs" about a dozen people chimed in with "next time, it would be great if you could start with that." 

I'm betting about 60% of the folks in that meeting couldn't tell you what was discussed as they laid the ground in the first ten minutes of that meeting.  Most of us were expecting to be told more bad news.  Instead, it's all pretty good. So just a pro tip for you - if the meeting is about informing people, and delivering good news, START WITH THAT when you've recently laid people off.  Your organization is generally going to be extremely concerned when surprises come up, so take a few minutes to put your hand on their figurative shoulders and let them know you're thankful they're still there, they're doing great, we're looking to make things work even better, thanks to their incredible efficiencies.  Don't close with that. Close with the "thank you all for coming, hope this wasn't too disruptive to your day..."

 Yeah, I'm a cranky old bastard.  I'm just grateful, again that I've got a job.  A good one.