The most recent benefit of MT (for me)...

BLUF:

I recently was terminated.  Being a long time MT & CT listener I was as ready as anyone could ever be.  

I used the tools and recommendations and you won't believe it ... they work (tongue firmly in cheek).  Six weeks later I am happily employed with a great company.

Thanks MT for doing what you do.  My wife doesn't know it but she thanks you as well.

If you want all the gory details, please read on...

I'm a long time MT listener and occasional forum lurker but infrequent contributor.  I employ most of the MT practices and credit them with making me a very good manager.  In fact, a former boss even commented that I was his best manager and I have built a very strong, cohesive team.  This is due in large part to using the Trinity and structured team meetings.

However things got a little sideways over the ~6 mo with me and this boss.  He does not do one-on-ones and feedback is infrequent.  I was having boss update meetings but for the past 9 mo or so I was logging a lot of hours due to some staff shortages, onboarding a major new client, etc. With my workload, I let my boss weekly updates laps. 

As M&M have said, the boss relationship is the most important one you have.  And I’m dance partner here, so I’m responsible as well and letting the update meetings laps was in hindsight a mistake.

So it hit me out of left field when he met with me a few months ago, gave me a bunch of negative feedback (crunch) and then told me that he thought we’d need to make a change.  Oh, forgot to mention that I was on plan ;-)

I talked to my HR person (they were not great HR, but they were not the worst).  They suggested that I proactively come up with a plan which I did.  I presented it to my boss the next day … he thought about it for a couple days … and then said no.  Things were not going to work out. 

And I was out.  That day.  Access card taken.  Cell phone wiped, including all contacts.

But of course I’m an MT listener.  So what did I do?

I walked out to my car.  Sat in my front seat.  And I thought about the cast on being fired.  And I knew immediately what I had to do.  I called my wife.

She was shocked, but I was strangely calm.  I knew that the job wasn't who I was. I knew we had sufficient savings.  I’m sure I would have had thought these thoughts eventually, but I think my MT ‘training’ kicked in and my mind was in this place much quicker.  What about everything else?

CMD up-to-date? Check.  Updated 3-4x / year for the past say 4 years per MT recommendations.

Contacts?  Check. Not on paper, but I download them every quarter to a stick and sync onto iCloud.  So I had access to all my contacts. 

Networking? I’d say that my network was probably better than a lot of peoples, meaning its not entirely cold.  But when I needed it, I realized that it was probably only luke warm.  Maybe it wasn't that bad, but boy when you need something you always wish you were more prepared.  Felt like I was going for a round of golf without having swung a club for a year.  I'll give it a half check.

Through my network I requested and got a bunch of recommendations on LinkedIn.  This is something that I could have asked for at the time, but it just felt too ‘odd’ to ask someone to write me a recommendation.  You know what’s ‘odder’?  Asking for them after you've been terminated. 

Armed with a ‘not cold’ network, the right attitude and a strong resume I embarked on the job search.  I was able to secure a number of interviews.  I prepped the MT way (Interview Series) and although I would never say ‘I aced it” I feel I did very well on all of them. 

End result?  I was able to secure an exciting position with a good company in 6 weeks.  Lightning speed.  A lot of this is timing (right place, right time) but I would have missed the window if I wasn't 'MT ready.'

Looking back, I have some key take aways….

•  Listen to all the casts, even if you don’t think you need em.  I never thought I’d need the ‘You’ve been Fired’ cast, but I did.
• Keep you network warm.  For probably 90% of us, when you need the network it will feel ice cold.  Maybe only because it’s the first time you need it.  But I’m going to make sure I do a better job going forward.
• Keep your resume / CMD up to date as suggested.  Peace of mind and saved me a ton of time.
• Build great relationships.  They help tremendously … ‘nuff said.
• Have a strong relationship with your boss.  Be diligent with your periodic updates.  Proactively ask for feedback if your boss is more of a ‘cruch’ boss v a ‘pinch’ boss.
• Never rest on your laurels and understand that we’re all (mostly) ‘at will’ employees.  Even the guy who once said you’re his best manager can kick you to the curb.   Be the ant. 

Well, that’s my story.  MT has served me well.  The MT and CT podcasts enabled me to handle the situation fairly easily.  The Interviewing Series helped me get thru the interviews and get an offer.

Thanks again MT!