Getting Pushed Out Of Your Job

Q: A concerned senior manager wants to know: “I’m not certain, but I fear that before the month ends, I will be pushed out of my job. What should I do?”

A: Chances are good that your fear is real and it is likely that you are not “imagining things,” especially if:

You are suddenly being excluded from emails, meetings, and business trips.
You are not receiving new assignments and your co-workers have taken a keen interest in where you keep your project files.
Things at work have grown strangely quiet and your colleagues now seem to be avoiding you.
You have a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.

Before we talk about what you should do, let’s examine why this is happening:

A change has occurred in the office ecosystem. A new player has been hired who is attempting to prove their worth by attacking you/your work, either directly, or in some cases, behind your back.
You have been performing your job sub-optimally.
Along the way, you said or did something to anger your boss, only they never addressed the situation with you. Instead, the boss opted to hold a grudge and let things fester while looking for additional reasons to “get rid of” you.

As the workplace saying goes, “You’re never as good as the first day you get here. You’re never as bad as the day that you leave." There’s a beginning, a middle, and an end to everything in life and good or bad, that also includes your job.

And now, for what you should do:

If you are sensing that you’re being pushed out of your job, you should listen to your intuition. Now is the time for you to take your own power back.

Here’s how:

Park your emotions by the door. Yes, being pushed out hurts and nobody wants to take an involuntary trip to the unemployment line. However, it is very important that you lick your wounds and cry your tears in private behind your own closed doors.
Schedule a meeting and respectfully ask your boss, “What is going on with my job here?” Initiate an open, honest, adult conversation. Confront the elephant in the room and don’t be afraid to hear what you already know.
Do not say the words “I quit.” Instead, offer to resign before being let go. Say: “This job situation is not working out for me and it seems that it is also not working out for you. It’s time for us to call this relationship off.” Then be quiet to see how your boss responds.
Negotiate a fair severance. Your boss will want you to depart the company peaceably and will likely be amenable to your request. Have what you think is fair figured out before the meeting and ask for it then and there.
Do not hang around any longer than is absolutely necessary. A dead body (yours) walking the office hallways is not good for anyone, especially you.
Although tempting, don’t ever badmouth the company or your boss. No. Matter. What. Doing this only hurts your brand.
Most importantly, don’t play the victim card. If you’re honest with yourself, you have contributed to a part of getting pushed out of your job. Now is a good time to reflect on your own behaviors and to think about the mistakes that you made along the way so that you do not repeat them.

Above all, be sure to keep things in perspective. The end of a job is not the end of your world. Apply what you have learned from this “failure,” dust yourself off, and focus 100% of your efforts on moving forward.

Lynn Hoban works with mid-size companies to scale business operations and ignite marketing programs for growth. Lynn has a
proven track record in consumer marketing. Her programs are effective because they are built on a depth of experience in human being management as well as in operations, R&D, staffing, training, and procurement. Lynn is known for her direct leadership style, which cuts through chaos and gets results. To ask a question or to find out more, visit www.LynnHobanMarketing.com.