a wonderful article written by Tom Morrow
let him know how you like it-
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Finding Yourself Alone on the Battlefield
For a soldier at war, there is nothing so terrifying as the moment when he finds himself alone on the battlefield. The vast majority of acute battlefield psychological casualties result when men are separated from their fellows or end up sole survivors of an encounter with the enemy. The omnipresence of death, pain, cold, wet and loneliness combine to weaken even the strongest man’s resolve and leaves the least confident catatonic, immobilized or willing to surrender even in the face of sure execution by the enemy. It is a strange paradox of our social nature.
In transition, the death, pain and cold are metaphorical—day after day of silence, no answers, no returned calls, surly networking contacts, and nothing but spam in the mailbox. The solitude, however, can be quite palpable and quite similar to the soldiers’ loneliness. We are all now finding ourselves alone on the job-search battlefield. The Army trains men to deal with this, but no one has taught any of us to deal with finding ourselves in transition. The same things the Army trains soldiers to do can be adapted for executives in transition, however.
First, do something. Anything. Action gives you a sense of control.
In the short run, if you are just having a bad day, call someone. It does not have to be a networking call, even though that would be best; it could be something as simple as following up with someone else in transition that you have not spoken to in a while. If it’s really bad, get out of the house. Take a walk, go work out, play a round of golf or a game of tennis. Whatever works for you. But do something! A day off from time to time will preserve your sanity, and if you are engaged in some enjoyable activity, your mind cannot dwell on your joblessness.
In the long run, as your transition lengthens, you will need to have something to preserve your sense of purpose and sure knowledge that you are still contributing and valuable. Get in touch with a charity you believe in and find a way to help out. Volunteer at your religious institution or for a political organization that is important to you. Call friends who are still working or use some contacts to find contract work. Not just for the money, but to keep your mind active.
Second, link up with ANY friendlies you find, even if they are foreign allies and cannot speak English. They may have different weapons and different caliber ammunition, so the military effect of your joining them may be nil, but company is the surest relief for anxiety. They will help you get back to your own alive and sane.
The transition corollary of this is our networking meetings, and those of like-minded organizations like Gray Hair Management, and others. Networking with other people in transition is some of the least effective networking, but it can at times bring valuable leads. More importantly, however, is perspective. Attend your chapter meetings if you can. Reach out to organizations like Gray Hair or Executive Resource Network and get involved. You will not only find that you are not alone. You will get good tips on marketing yourself, opportunities to practice your elevator speech, and the chance to get to know people from very different disciplines which you normally wouldn’t in the work world.
Third, contact your commanding officer or headquarters by any means. An artillery officer in the Grenada campaign used his calling card and the local phone system to adjust naval gunfire. The Soviets will not have time to destroy the German phone network or to occupy every road. Pick up a phone and try; drive down back roads that may take longer or not be direct.
The transition corollary of this is two-fold and pretty straightforward. Networking with our alumni members and others who are still employed: the Soviets have not destroyed the phone network. Pick up a phone and use it. You will get static. You will get dead lines (metaphorically speaking). But you will also, inevitably, get through. And then be ready to take back roads, like contracting first or probationary periods, changing from for-profit to not-for-profit or vice verse, or starting in a new industry in order to get back to the work. You might even, God forbid, start a book and finish that CPA everyone finds so important!
There is nothing good, ennobling or enjoyable about being in transition, especially now. It is easy to give up, slow down, or just plain drop out. Only problem is, none of these will find you a job. As the soldier who freezes up when he finds himself alone on the battlefield is doing nothing less than accepting death in preference to looking for his courage, anyone who uses this difficult market as an excuse to try less rather than more is abetting those responsible for putting them in transition and perpetuating their own joblessness beyond its time.
Reach out. We are all here available to help. The loneliness you feel is more apparent than real. Your ultimate victory is assured. Do something. Link up with friendlies. Take a back road if you must, but for goodness sake, don’t give up or even slow down! |
