No grand plan

I had always assumed a layoff notice was the end of your career at the Bank. Strike one, you're out. The Bank is Judge, jury and executioner - what chance do you have? So when I received my notice, I just knew that was it. In fact, at the beginning I was taking more time researching possible at-home businesses. That seemed at least a constructive use of my time.

I was wrong, however. My layoff notice was strike one - but I still had a couple strikes left.

I assumed that my layoff was a verdict of "The Bank". It was nothing of the kind. One department, in a little bit of money trouble, laid off 20 people: and I was caught up in this. But smart decision or stupid decision, it had no larger meaning. It was no Bank-wide grand decision - that would probably be giving the Bank too much credit.

In large corporations, personnel decisions seem analogous to chaos theory: everything is unplanned, random and spontaneous. While I think this is truly bad business, it does mean you have another chance. So with my layoff, I had been made a "free agent" and could negotiate with other "teams" inside or outside of the company. The layoff notice did not close off this negotiation option; in that way, it was far from The Verdict. Find another team that wants you, and with a couple computer keystrokes you are again a regular employee.

If it happens again, I should remember The Godfather's advice: it's not personal, it's business. There's no grand plan: just find a new team.

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