On RIFs

A few weeks ago, at a local hospital, a man went in for a procedure. He was very talkative with the nurses, and very animated. 
They recognized it as a sign that he was nervous. People do that - find a reason to talk to keep themselves calm. Nurses know that its not exactly what they say, but how they talk that can give you clues into how to work with them. In many cases, the patient knows what they need, even if they can't express it. In this case, the man kept talking about "this woman, the one who scheduled my appointment, she was so nice. 
She did such a great job, getting me ready, calming me down. I'd really love to thank her." And the nursing staff understoof that it might help him. So they went into the backroom and found the administrative scheduler, and explained to her that this patient wanted to meet her. She was taken aback, very humble, saying "I didn't do anything. Just my job." But she went in to the room to meet meet the man. 
When he said, "Oh, my goodness, Thank you so much. You were really great, you really helped me. You know, you just are such a nice person, very calming. Your husband must be a lucky man." It turns out the man knew her husband, and promised to tell him what a lucky man he was. She took the compliment nervously. She thought, "What did I do? I just scheduled the appointment." But she did it in a way that made this patient feel better. 
And she left the room, and went back to her normal, administrative job. She normally doesn't have much patient interaction. But she felt good, a part of the healing team.

Earlier this week, the hospital decided it needed to save money. So...they fired her. along with a dozen or so other staff. Cost cutting measures, reductions in force, layoff - call it what you will. 
Whatever it is, it took a human, and reduced them to a dollar figure. And the thing is...that person was adding value to the lives of the patients and to the mission of the hospital. Right up to the last minute. And now she's gone. 


I want everyone to look at this story and think about it, because we're in a tough economy. RIFs are coming, layoffs are coming. And you can be in any of the shoes. If you're an employee, and budgets are tight, be aware that the company may decide that it's in their best interest to let you go. But when they do, they're not directing this personally at you, and they're not really evaluating your true worth - in life or the organization. 
It's hard to measure the true value of a person. So it's very important that you retain your own value, that you understand your value. Hold your job loosely, but your values, your skills, your capabilities, your attitude, and your self-worth - hold them tight. Be the best wherever you are, and when it's time to leave, take all of you with you and go be the best somewhere else. Take all of that passion and all of those skills, and use them to make a difference in the world, in a way that makes you proud. Make this a short chapter in your great novel.

And if you're a manager, you're going to find yourself in these situations. 
Usually, it's in the middle, the middle management, executing the will of the leadership of the organization. Remember that the people that you are losing are more than just the work they do. Prepare them, pour into them, grow them so that when the time comes to part ways, you've done your best to make them their best. Treat them as people, who's contributions can not be measured, and who's absence will be felt in immeasurable ways. Know that they still have their abilities and their passions and their intrinsic value. Fight for them, and only give them up as a last resort. Companies are not people. Corporations are not people. 
So, let's be careful, not to treat them as such.

Tough time are coming. Good luck. And be kind.

ROB