“Your role has been eliminated,” she said calmly, two dimensional on the video conference. HR watched her say it. She was the new VP from the division, come to make a mark on HQ.
And just like that, the roller coaster that was my work life stopped. They let me get out with safe landing and all the corporate courtesies, and then they rolled on, leaving me behind.
Once the word was out, then came the awkward, hushed discussions with team-mates, each with the solemnity of a funeral.
“It was great working with you.”
“I can’t believe it. We’re going to miss you.”
“I’m so sorry to hear this.”
Sitcoms and movies try to capture the essence of work relationships: jokes, exaggerated quirks, a strange mix of team wins and trauma bonding. And add the shocking reality that most weeks, we spend more time with our co-workers than we do with our partners. It is a strange place, this ‘work’.
Today I miss our Tuesday team meetings. At that time, there was about 25 of us, spread across the country, varying age, race, enneagram. They were my pack – we had survived re-orgs, dramatic operation model shifts, and in Covid, each other’s illnesses and deep fears. We’d always come together and start with an update on the weather, everyone shouting out temperatures as they joined –
“82 and sunny,” from Florida.
“67,” from Manchester.
“Philly is close – we’re at 64.”
“It’s 40,” from Denver.
It was as if we were playing weather poker, high temp wins in most seasons. I’m in Denver, and mostly lost but felt I was winning. The temperature warmed us up, led to the deeper pulse of the team that came from subsequent updates. I don’t know why we started that way. The team cared about the weather in Florida, so I cared and what is it exactly that I’m missing?
And then during the pandemic, our children and pets followed us online, blurring everything. I worked with one VP who would ask for 5 minutes to catch up at the end of the day, and we’d talk into dinner–
“Sorry about that call, he wasn’t prepared, I’ll talk to him.”
“No worries, I explained that to her afterwards – I think Joe got it, he seemed bought in.”
“Yes but we need to convince Jean, she’s harder. That’s next week, Mon, can you join? Hold on, let me let Jax in, he’s barking like crazy.”
Always the same topics: executive buy-in, team dynamics, moving projects forward. I lived in back-to-back video calls, a daily onslaught of ‘instant’ messages, meetings-before-meetings and endless PowerPoint slides. And at the time, it all made sense.
“Your role has been eliminated.”
I know others who’ve been let go over the years and I’ve even been on the other side of the table, telling someone it was their time. Circumstances vary, sometimes there is disbelief, or worse, fierce anger. For me, watching my work-life vanish without warning was drenched in deep sadness, as if I was letting a limb go, unable or unwilling to save it. Maybe I already knew it was a façade, these decades of a career, this constant daily hustle. Maybe I already sensed that something different, better awaits.
Regardless, big grief. That’s where it starts. Much more comes next, for now, how’s the weather in Florida?
15 thoughts on “Part 1: I Miss the Weather”
I love this so much! Well being is more important than ever and you’re modeling the way! ❤️
Thank you!
I think you’re a starfish and will grow a new limb. You’re finding your way in your new world with flair!
Ingrid, I love this perspective – thank you!
Excellent. I’m proud of you, lil’ sister.
It’s 52 degrees in SF at 11:10 pm
😁
YES!! And thanks –
Julie, what a beautiful job of putting words and a personal view to the awful event of job elimination. I have also been on both sides, and may be again this year. If you love your job as I know you did, it is truly the full seven stages of grief. I’ll watch for your updated posts and cannot wait to see where your journey goes next. Sending much respect and lots of hugs
Thanks Jamie – I really appreciate this, and sending respect and hugs right back you!
Julie,
Well said! Power on!
Thank you Kathy! I so appreciate you reading along!
Love this personal reflection Julie. Surely, something “better” awaits…
Thanks Mike! And agree, something better awaits!
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Thanks, so glad you are enjoying this perspective!