Healing the Wounds: Overcoming the Trauma of Layoffs and Revitalizing Downsized Organizations

275 Pages·2009·3.49 MB·English

by  David M. Noer

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Noer.ffirs.qxd:Noer.ffirs.qxd 7/8/09 10:32 AM Page i
Praise for Healing the Wounds
“Asequelrarelyequalsitspredecessor,especiallywhenthe
latterisoncoursefortherarifiedstatusof‘classic,’butDavid
Noerachievesnoless.Essentialplayersinjoblossdramaswill
applaudtheexpandedlearningandimplicationssections,and
theextensivetreatmentofleadershipissues.Organizational
careermanagementisindeedindebtedtoDavidNoer’s
contribution.”
—MichaelE.Hall,Ph.D.,board-certified
careermanagementfellow
“Dr.Noerisabsolutelyright—thereisnoonebigtoolthatwill
saveyouduringadownsizingeffort.Ittakesmanylittletools.
Thisbookwillgiveyouthetoolsandinsightsintohowtosave
thosewhoareleftbehind.”
—KevinR.Planet,principle,IntegrityStaffing
“Excellentguidanceonhowtodealwiththemostcomplexand
difficultissuesofanxiety,fear,andsorrow.”
—IngarSkaug,presidentandCEO,WilhelmsenLines
“DavidNoer’sbookisahandyremedyforanyonecaughtupin
today’scorporatesurvivorillness.Itcontainsahealthydoseof
practicaladvicefromanauthenticmanagementprofessional.”
—WalterF.UlmerJr.,LieutenantGeneral,USArmy
(Retired),andformerpresidentandCEO,Centerfor
CreativeLeadership
“Much-neededinsightsoneffectivelymanagingdownsizingswhile
forgingproductiverelationshipswithitssurvivingworkers.”
—JoelBrockner,professorofmanagement,GraduateSchool
ofBusiness,ColumbiaUniversity
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HEALING
THE
WOUNDS
OVERCOMING THE TRAUMA
OF LAYOFFS AND REVITALIZING
DOWNSIZED ORGANIZATIONS
REVISED AND UPDATED
David M. Noer
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Noer,DavidM.
Healingthewounds:overcomingthetraumaoflayoffsandrevitalizingdownsized
organizations/DavidM.Noer.—Rev.andupdated.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–0–470–50015–6(cloth)
1.Downsizingoforganizations—Psychologicalaspects.2.Organizationalchange—
Psychologicalaspects.3.Unemployment—Psychologicalaspects.4.Layoffsystems.
5.Employees—Dismissalof.I.Title.
HD58.85.N642009
658.4'06—dc22
2009021546
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
FIRSTEDITION
HBPrinting 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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C O N T E N T S
Preface xi
PART ONE
THE SHATTERED COVENANT 1
1 ForgottenSurvivors:WhatHappenstoThose
WhoAreLeftBehind 3
LessonsfromActOne:JuanitaandCharles—Victim
andSurvivor 4
TheBasicBind:LeanandMeanLeadstoSadandAngry 6
MetaphoroftheSurvivingChildren 7
ActsOneandTwo:AFamilyLegacy 10
IssuestoBeExplored 11
Definitions 13
LearningsandImplications 15
2 ChangingOrganizationsandtheEndof
JobSecurity 17
FromAssetstoCosts:TheNewViewofEmployees 19
FromNurturingtoViolence:TheSymbolismof
LayoffLanguage 24
FromLongTermtoShortTerm:TheShrinking
PlanningHorizon 26
FromSynergistictoReductionistic:TakingApartIsBetter
ThanPuttingTogether 27
LayoffSurvivorSickness:TheLegacy 28
LearningsandImplications 29
v
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vi CONTENTS
PART TWO
THE SURVIVOR EXPERIENCE 31
3 LearningfromthePast:TheSurvivor
SyndromeAcrossTime 33
TheSagaof“NoToes,”theGunslinger 34
UniversalSurvivorLinkages 37
Lifton’sModelofHiroshimaAtomicBombSurvivors 40
LearningsandImplications 45
4 SpeakingforThemselves:LayoffSurvivorStories 47
OrganizationalCharacteristics 48
ResearchMethodology 48
JobInsecurity 49
Unfairness 49
Depression,Stress,andFatigue 50
ReducedRiskTakingandMotivation 51
DistrustandBetrayal 52
Optimism 52
ContinuingCommitment 53
LackofReciprocalCommitment 53
WantingIttoBeOver 54
DissatisfactionwithPlanningandCommunication 55
AngerovertheLayoffProcess 56
LackofStrategicDirection 57
LackofManagementCredibility 58
Short-TermProfitOrientation 58
SenseofPermanentChange 59
UnexpectedFindings 60
LearningsandImplications 62
5 TimeDoesNotHealAllWounds:TheEffectsof
Long-TermSurvivorSickness 63
Stress,Fatigue,ExtraWorkload,DecreasedMotivation,
Sadness,andDepression 64
Insecurity,Anxiety,andFear 65
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CONTENTS vii
LoyaltytoJob(NotCompany),NonreciprocalLoyalty,
andSelf-Reliance 66
SenseofUnfairnessandAngeroverTopManagementPayand
Severance 67
ResignationandNumbness 67
LackofManagementCommunication 68
HelpfulandCommunicativeManagers 69
HonestCommunication 70
Short-TermPlansandStrategy 70
LayoffProcessProblems 71
ResentmentoverBeingMadetoFeelGuilty 72
ALookBackfromtheSecondAct 73
LearningsandImplications 74
PART THREE
INTERVENTIONS FOR HEALTHY SURVIVAL 75
6 AFour-LevelProcessforHandlingLayoffsand
TheirEffects 77
LayoffSurvivorFeelingClustersandCopingStrategies 79
TheFour-LevelInterventionModel 82
LearningsandImplications 84
7 LevelOne:ManagetheLayoffProcesses 85
“CleanKills”andtheSurvivorHygieneFactor 86
RedundantCommunicationIsEssential 86
WhattoCommunicate 87
ControlTrapsThatBlockCommunication 88
BalancingFeelingandThinking 92
TelltheTruth,andNeverSayNever 97
TwoDenialTraps 100
ProcessResearch 103
LearningsandImplications 106
8 LevelTwo:FacilitatetheNecessaryGrieving 109
TheBurdenofaHeavyBag 111
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viii CONTENTS
ATeamIntervention 113
AnAttemptedSystemwideIntervention 115
ASmallBusinessVisioningIntervention 118
ADepartmentalWake 121
EmpoweringLeadersThroughModelsofChange 123
LearningsandImplications 126
9 LevelThree:BreaktheCodependencyChainand
EmpowerPeople 129
Dagwood’sPrescientStand 130
CodependentRelationships 131
OrganizationalCodependency 131
Detachment 133
LettingGo 138
ConnectingwithaCorePurpose 144
LearningsandImplications 148
10 LevelFour:BuildaNewEmploymentRelationship 151
TheGlobalContextoftheNewReality 154
FromLong-TermtoSituationalEmployment
Relationships 155
FromRewardingPerformancewithPromotiontoRewarding
PerformancewithAcknowledgmentofRelevance 158
FromPaternalistictoEmpoweringManagement
Behavior 161
FromToxicFidelitytoHealthySelf-Responsibility 165
FromanImplicitCareerCovenanttoanExplicit
JobContract 169
ElementsofExplicitContractualRelationships 175
LearningsandImplications 176
PART FOUR
THE LEADERSHIP WAKE-UP CALL 179
11 RequisiteLeadershipCompetenciesTheyDon’tTeach
inBusinessSchool 181
ChoosetheRightWolftoFeed 182