Clive did not know he was walking to his own redundancy meeting on this fateful day.
As a CTO bringing a major transformation programme to its closure phase, he was used to being called for updates at short notice. The company had gone through tough cost-cutting, forcing him to reduce his taskforce and budget drastically. Months later, Clive was still struggling with stress and guilt from this difficult period.
He was about to discover the next stage: merging departments to reduce senior executives, including him. Nothing had prepared him for the shocking news, delivered in such a cold and insensitive manner. As his boss started talking, Clive realised he was following the same script Clive had been instructed to use for redundancy meetings in his department.
As he heard the words in disbelief, he felt insignificant, used, and betrayed.
When he walked out of the glass-walled conference room still in shock, he realised everyone in the open plan space knew what was happening. He felt crushed by the public humiliation. He still doesn't know how he stayed calm and composed.
As he packed his belongings, he started feeling angry with himself, blaming himself for not seeing this coming, calling himself an idiot and a loser. Worrying he might not provide for his family and feeling he had failed them kept him awake at night. He couldn't hear what Tracy, his lovely wife, was telling him.
The sleep deprivation led to physical and mental exhaustion, along with growing self-loathing.
One evening, Clive felt a massive weight on his chest. He was rushed to A&E convinced this was a heart attack. However, his heart was fine. He had experienced an anxiety attack. Unlike his wife, he didn't feel relieved. For him this was another humiliating proof that he was weak and a failure.
That's when Tracy lost it with him. For the first time, Clive realised how hard it had been for her, and decided to get help.
Clive has recovered and is doing very well today. His sense of self-worth keeps growing, and he would never judge himself as harshly as he did, no matter what. He's conscious that the outcome could have been very different, and many similar stories don't end so well.
As businesses constantly adapt to change, reorganisations can be essential but there's no need for insensitive and brutal approaches like the one Clive experienced. Demotions and redundancies can be hurtful and humiliating. Treating people with respect and dignity, particularly during these processes just shows basic decency and compassion, at an incredibly difficult time for others.
I've been extremely lucky to work with very decent, inspiring, and successful business leaders so I know this is possible even in the toughest environments.
(All names changed to protect privacy)
