Over the years in the tech world, I have unfortunately seen many people either fired (for performance issues) or laid off as part of a broader company move.
It always sucks.
And I’m sure to that individual it sucks more than I can imagine.
It’s typical when a company asks an employee to go that it is handled quietly and respectfully. Usually the employee leaving asks for a transition time to find the next job and to not let the world know the circumstances of the separation.
Last week Microsoft laid off Don Dodge. I saw the news spread like wildfire all over Twitter because Don wrote about getting laid off that very day on his personal blog.
That’s not fairly typical at all.
But it was open and honest. Just like Don.
The result: an outpouring of support from friends, colleagues, blogs, tweets etc.
I saw Don the next day and while he was disappointed about the layoff and he was glowing from all of the support and opportunities and looking forward. I have no doubt that Don will do something great in the very near future and I’m happy for him.
Imagine if he didn’t talk about it. Don is a talented person so he still would have opportunities but at a much different scale and different way. And this way was much more revealing about the individual.
And in my opinion, i think it’s a better way to deal with being laid off.
Open & direct.