Sunday, February 28, 2010

Day 8 & 9 - The Opening Stance

My natural tendency when faced with something fearful, unsettling or troubling is to withdraw; to curl up in the fetal position; go internal and work the problem from the inside out.  If I do this in this circumstance it will lead to withdrawal, isolation, and loneliness.  In the last year, I have been learning about the power of community, both virtual and physical community, and have been trying to take a different approach than what is natural for me.  This new stance includes continuing to expand the my network of support; continuing to connect more pieces together in this network, and  focusing on giving and receiving help going through career change.  Opening up and expanding instead of closing off and isolating.

I recommend this to avoid the isolating tendencies of getting a warn notice.  Being separated from your co-workers is a big influence towards isolation.  Spending hours and hours on the computer searching for jobs and preparing resumes also tend towards isolation.  There is no way to avoid these influences; both will happen but I can consciously counteract the effects of these.

In the book iBrain: Surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind by Small and Vorgan, I  learned the way we stimulate our minds over time physically alters our brain over time, “The current explosion of digital technology not only is changing the way we live and communicate but is rapidly and profoundly altering our brains.  Daily exposure to high technology—computers, smart phones, video games, search engines like Google and Yahoo—stimulates brain cell alteration and neurotransmitter release, gradually strengthening new neural pathways in our brains while weakening old ones.  Because of the current technological revolution, our brains are evolving right now—at a speed like never before.”

 Since I do lot of work at home, also important is making sure that I get out of the house and do things like gardening and walking.    Face to face interactions with others is also important.  The last two days in the OSR classroom has provided very rich set of personal interactions.  In this upcoming week, I have several face to face meetings: a layoff briefing, a resume building seminar, a discussion with a co-working, a meeting with my HR rep., and coffee with another co-worker.  Keeping the number of these personal interactions up will be important as time marches on. 

Counteracting the technological aspect has meant paying more attention to diet and exercise; making sure that I’m exercising every day and increasing the amount of exercise.  I have continued to take tennis lessons and lift weights at the Y.   I also plan on continuing to do brain puzzles and reading.

One of the next steps for developing my resume is to develop further detail for each position that I have on my resume—developing the ability to share what I learned in this position, the skills I developed, key projects worked on and accomplishments for each position.  Several times in the past I have had interviews that I have not done all that well in and from this have developed a feeling of being weak in this area.  Having these details readily available for me to review before an interview is one way to bolster my interviewing skills.   I have also heard of an interviewing skills workshop and I need to see if any are available.  If not I may have to create the space for one to happen.

Today, I put a note our on Facebook about getting the warn notice and looking for a job.  Several people have responded giving encouragement, support, and empathy.  These messages have been empowering—I’m glad I put the note out there.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Day 7 - 60 Day Warn - 7 days gone

Well the first week is gone in a blink of an eye. 53 days to go. And I started the day feeling guilty.

Since I am on a degree committee of one of the current OSR Students, my alumnus Master’s program, I was invited to participate in this month’s session on Appreciative Inquiry (AI). The timing is perfect, since AI is a very life affirming methodology. One is dependent on our personal way of being as much or more than the technical methods involved. This is like getting a booster shot in the arm to what I think is important in the field of OD and to helping others in general. I felt the exercises and readings to prepare for the class have helped me become much more grounded and allowed my thinking to clear up and become more focused than it would have otherwise.

The preparatory exercise was to take a 24 hours period and look at everything appreciate stance no matter how small, like appreciation for the light that comes when we change the switch, the taste of a piece of fresh fruit, the clerk that smiles a greeting, or the color of a flower. Or the second version of this exercise was to look for the life affirming parts of our day; this was the version I did. The outcome was I became very appreciative for all the people that had touched my life or that I have touched their lives over the years. I also became thankful for the many blessings that I have in my life—starting with my wife and kids and extending way out from here. From the standpoint of giving me energy and vitality the class was a great success.

One reason that I wanted to attend was to reinvigorate my connection with the OSR community. This community encompasses all of the past OSR master alumni, the two current classes, and future classes to come. I was able to rekindle some relationships and to build some new connections today as half the participants were current students and half were previous students. From this standpoint it was a great success.

Providing strength for a positive perspective on getting this warn notice was not anticipated. This positive perspective looks at it as opening the door to opportunity—opportunity to create the next phase of my career in way that is more life affirming and better aligned to what is important to me in this phase of my life. This was a mostly unanticipated outcome of the exercise, the reading and the class today.

The guilt comes from questioning whether I shouldn’t be staying home and sending out resumes and scanning all the job ads. Writing cover letters and applying for jobs. Why am I spending time writing blogs, building networks in Boeing to help others, going to classes that will not affect my resume? All this life affirming, phase of life crap is fine to think about buddy, but you need a job. Maybe you should of thought about that sometime in the last the 21 years, now is time for quick action. This was the dilemma playing out I my head. Today, I chose to attend the session and I think the rewards were worth it. I’m sure this dilemma will continue to play out.

InSite group IT People with Warn Notices is at 38 members and growing.

PS - Learning Blogging and making changes as I go. Hope to have this tool down in after some more posts.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Day Six - Warn Notice - First Application

Finished the first set of edits on the resume and sent it out to two places. The first was adding it to the Boeing Job search system. It is a little maddening to spend the time to get the resume looking good form wise and then have to convert it to text format. Also sent the electronic copy to a friend, who was going to share it with her boss; this might be a good possibility or could turn out to be nothing.

A large portion of the day was spent connecting with people via email—helping people get set up in inSite the Boeing’s social networking program. The group I started is at 36 people the last time I looked. After spending yesterday and today sending messages and links to the site, the first conversation and sharing happened on its own. I have found that it takes some help to get a community working and I’m thankful that I have been studying this over the last year. This has helped position me for networking which I’m starting to get a deeper appreciation for just how powerful networking is.

Expanded networking to outside of Boeing by starting a discussion with a friend of mine who has many of contacts all over the US. This was a planting seeds conversation; it will take patience, intention and action to germinate these seeds. Tomorrow, my outside networking will be furthered expanded outside by going to a special class of the program that I received my Masters from. This will be at Seattle University and consist of present students and alums that have been coaching the students through their degree committees. I may know some of the alums, the person whose committee I am on, and maybe one or two other students and some of the teachers. At the end of the two day class, I hope to have made many new connections.

There are other reasons for taking the class. I love to learn, and this last week has been stressful and tiring—this class represents a much needed break. Also there is some serendipity taking place spiritually in my life. The class is about a change method call Appreciative Inquiry or AI. Being appreciative and grateful for what I have has come up in dharma talks, meditation, and as part of the emotional roller coaster ride this last week. This is the perfect time to get reacquainted with AI and I am looking forward to spending two days in class on this subject and with students in their second years of their Masters transformation. The classroom experience should be a lot of fun.

I met and talked with my two closest team mates today. In some ways they are having it harder than I am. I am able to turn away from the past, take charge, and start moving forward. They are left picking of the pieces, being faced with uncertainty, and worried about me. I haven’t totally turned away; I am also worried about them and with my other teammates. These relationships that I have taken for granted for so long are very important to me.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Day Five- Warn Notice - Networking

Today was interesting. My resume is about ready for the first pass update. It will be improved as I work to build a database of information to add or subtract from the resume as needed depending on the job that I’m applying for. This will support the strategy of fewer more directed resumes and cover letters—quality over quantity. The current version will be used to enter into the Boeing job system so that I can quickly get my resume out there.

There is a Boeing job that sounds interested that closes on Monday. I will enter my resume and apply. In addition, I’m going to see if the Vice President of the area will have a conversation with me. These large change programs are dependent on the sponsorship at the highest level. And my future will be dependent on this person. I would like to get a sense of him before making a decision on the job. Not that it is a given that I would get the job, but I think I’m fully qualified and would be a good fit for the job. Also, I would like to ask this person some advice. I’m a bit disenchanted about continuing with Boeing, and I would like to ask for some career advice.

This job has come to my attention from 5 different sources. My wife found it on the Boeing job site. Two of my co-workers sent me the information, and I queried three people in the area and receive two responses, the third person is out of town. This is a good example of how networking works.

Another example is from attending the Coaching community of practice today. The subject of caring for the people who had warn notices naturally came up in the meeting. I didn’t speak up, but took a ton of notes as they talked about resources they had to help coaches help people through the transition. I contacted people via email while the meeting was going on to get more information. Then the conversation in the meeting turned to how they could get connected to people, since the names are protected from general knowledge. Now I couldn’t remain quiet any longer. Overcoming my embarrassment, l told them about the IT People with Warn Notices inSite (Boeing Social Network program) group that I started the day before and how we could use this to connect the coaches with the people that needed them.

Karma came into to play. A person I coached is now working in the area of career transitions. She has many great resources and volunteered to coach me, thus returning my previous giving to her. This felt great and I will take her up on her offer next week. Also, due to this networking I heard of another job possibility which would be a great job working at a higher level in one of the business units. This will come with a recommendation from a person at the coaches meeting. Due to our past relationship and due to making the effort to reconnect with her now has resulting in a job possibility. This shows that treating people well over the long haul is so very important in times of trouble. It is important in regular times too, I just tend to miss seeing it.

The inSite group is now at 20 members. I spread the word in several venues and the word is starting to get out. I will spend a little more time tomorrow expanding these connections. I also had to warn a person against using the group as a way to gather data against the company. I know where this person is coming from; I have shared some of the same feelings. It is important to me that the group remains dedicated at help each other through transition. As I have been working on building the inSite group, I have also been continuing to increase my personal networking links inside and outside of Boeing. My LinkedIn connections have gone from 130 to 180 this week.

My emotions seem to be leveling out and my ability to focus and accomplish things was improved today. In addition to being able to concentrate, I was also able to think of others things besides being layoff and finding a job.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Day Four - Learning and Planning

Today, I listened to the briefing to my work group. They didn’t really say much that was of interest to me. Did say it was possible for more cuts, but that they were trying to make this the only cut of the year.  It was weird being the person referred to as “those affected by the cuts”. Almost like talking in third person even though the person is in the room. I’m wondering if there might be another person from our group that hasn’t spoke up yet.

Last night I went to the library and picked up about ten books on various topics from writing resumes and cover letters to planning your job search. The one that I like best so far takes a more systemic approach to writing your resume. High Impact Resumes and Letters by Krannich and Banish has you design your resume as part of multi-step process and not the first step.

It talks about a four step Career development process:

  Step 1: Assessing
  Step 2: Exploring
  Step 3: Developing Skills (like writing resumes and networking)
  Step 4: Implementing Job Search steps

This last step then leads to the Job Search Steps and Stages
  1. Identify motivated skills and abilities
  2. Specify a job/career objective
  3. Research individuals, organizations, communities, and jobs
  4. Produce resumes and job search letters
  5. Conduct informational and networking interviews
  6. Manager Job interviews
  7. Negotiate salary and terms of employment.
I like the idea of spending a bit more time in the first steps in order to do the ground work. Developing the career objective or deciding what I want to get out of this next phase of my career.  This is something that I think is important for me right now.  I don’t know much more than what I have shared about this approach, but this is feeling good to me.

I also started a new group called IT People with Warn Notices in the company’s social networking tool and started getting people to sign up. I’m hoping that this will help cope with some of the isolation that can occur in these lay off situations. In addition, I’m hoping that we can share resources going forward. I also hope that for everyone that this effort continues past the 60 days, this group can continue outside of Boeing. About six people have signed up so far, including a previous manager of mine.

Day Two – emotions appear

February 21, 2010

The beginning of day two began much more emotional than I would have figured. It was hard because I sent an email to my co-workers explaining what had happened on Friday.

I felt this was important for a few reasons. First, I care about them deeply and I wanted to bring them into the situation so that I wasn’t feeling quite so alone. I wanted to make sure that they understood, before they started seeing the changes that I will be making as irrational. I wanted to let them know that I will have to be breaking promises that I made to get stuff done. And I wanted to illicit their help going forward.

I don’t care about Boeing as much as I care about the people that I have come to consider as my friends over the years. I have worked with many excellent people. This is the greatest loss that this change will mean for me, a loss of friendships that have developed over a period of 22 years. I’m especially worried that my co-workers will experience survivor’s guilt and that would end up hurting them, so I would like to avoid that. While I will be focusing my attention primarily on getting a new job, I plan on remaining connected to the work group. And have even thought of pulling the group in to help me on a more substantial basis—thinking that this would both be a benefit for me and may help the group deal with the survivor’s part.

So far I have received two replies from my note. Each time has brought me to tears like sending out the note in the first place. I wonder as I send out notes to my more extended network of friends if the tears will continue. Today’s note to my co-workers was just a warm up to calling my son and brothers, will these calls be as emotional as my simple email note?

I have also reached out and connected with the three people that know have experienced layoffs in the last year. Two have provided some excellent references and firsthand knowledge. I hope that we can work to each other’s mutual benefit going forward. And after many months of dealing with this the bitterness they feel is just below the surface. I would like to get through this without allowing bitterness to change and hurt me.

I am proceeding on all fronts to develop my plan and thinking on how to use newer tools like google voice, gmail, and websites to get my message in front of people and to be able to respond as I transition and lose my connection to Boeing resources.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Day Three - Inner Circle

It was day three today. The accomplishments for today included getting a hold of all my brothers—I have five so this is no small feat. It wasn’t just a call to say “I’m getting layoff in 60 days. Good bye.” It took a while to get to a place of sharing, and then it took a while to process it and talk through it. And before all of this I had to get over the stigma of telling people. Intellectually this seems like a no brainer get over it and let people know. But in truth it took a little bit for this introvert to process this information and run through the conversation in my mind a few hundred times before I was ready for it.

I wanted to make sure they all knew before I started putting it on social networking sites. I’m working on expanding my networking capabilities and to get people engaged. I wanted to make sure that my family knew and that my immediate co-workers knew first. That has now been accomplished. I would like to let our closest friends know. Once that is done, I figure my inner circle has been notified.

After telling my co-workers at Boeing this weekend, I feel that I can start expanding my networking here. I will use our internal networking site and email to get the word over the few days.

Started updating my resume today, previous version was in 2006. It really didn’t take much to update it. I would like to take it to some people to see if it is good enough. My wife went over it today. She is a great editor, she finds everything. This is something that I have no talent for. I also went to the library and got books on Resumes, making career choices, and conducting job searches. I think I ended up with about ten books. They cover some of the same information so I can cross reference as I read. As I get into these books I will share the titles and whether I thought they were helpful.

Tomorrow, I will continue on the Resume. Hopefully getting that completed. Also want to arrange a meeting with my HR representative to start this ball rolling.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

First Day with a 60 day warn notice


February 20, 2010
Yesterday was ground zero—when I received the news that I had been given a 60 day warn notice from Boeing; one of a 1000 people to be laid off this round. I'm 50, 5 years away from starting my retirement check. If I don't get hired back within 3 years it seems I lose my retirement medical benefits. This amounts to quite a benefit. I wonder how much this plays into the decision of who gets the bump. I have never had a bad review in all the years that I worked at Boeing, so I was completely stunned when I heard the news. Seems I am a victim of getting re-org'd under the wrong manager at the wrong time.
Yesterday, I was pretty much in shock. Last night not a wink of sleep as I tossed and turned. I let my daughter know last night. I need to call my son and brothers to let them know what is going on also. These are calls that I don't want to make—these calls that carry with them a little embarrassment—the stigma of that Guy without a job.
At the same time, I know that I need to crank up my network of family, friends and associates as fast as I can. I need to make everyone aware that I am in need of their help.
Today was mostly a day of thinking what all needs to happen. What are our money resources? What types of things should I be thinking about with a change of jobs? What new things, masked by my twenty two years with Boeing, do I now have to concern myself with?
At the same time, it is Saturday, and I needed to have a little time to recuperate also. So I got some exercise by gardening, lifting some weights at the Y and stretching in the hot tub. Then I washed the cars once I got home.
Can't stop thinking about what to do, but getting some relaxation time seems to be important also. I have to pace myself for the first 60 days and then for the next 6 months or longer. Making sure that I don't give up all together as things drag out. Hopefully, I can treat this as my job. Report early and stay late, but then get away from it—taking some time off on the weekends to enjoy life.
Also, I'm thinking that I really need to stress working out each day. There are many reasons why I need to do this, from health, getting oxygen to the brain for better interview scores, to losing weight so that I come across better.