This cast concludes our guidance on what to do when you're about to be or have been fired.

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This cast gives our guidance on what to do when you're about to be or have been fired.

Mark often compares being fired to the scene in a film which references the Winston Churchill quote: There is nothing so exhilarating as being shot at without result. When you've never been fired, you imagine it as being the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen.

Once it's happened to you though, you know it's not so bad. No-one is gone, your family still love you and you still have skills. It also not impossible to get another job after you've been fired. All the best people have been fired at least once.

Of course, there are better and worse ways to behave when you're in this situation. Help yourself by following the guidance in this cast.

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This cast explains how to respond to the announcement of impending layoffs at your firm.

This is a long overdue cast, based on comments we get by email and on the forums.  Far too many of us respond POORLY to an announcement or rumor of impending layoffs where we work.  In fact, it's worse than that . . . MOST of us respond TERRIBLY, and HURT OUR CAREERS in doing so.  But there's a better way, and there's a playbook to follow, and guess what?  Career Tools has it, and that's what this cast shares.

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This cast how to talk about layoffs when they are being considered.

Many managers are torn when it comes to layoffs. Most of us know that when they happen, they’re probably inevitable. We understand that layoffs are often a painful necessity (even though they’re an admission of failure). We also know that the thought, rumor, or knowledge of layoffs is likely to create questions from our team. Just a rumor of a rumor will induce fear.

So what are the rules about communicating about layoffs? What do we say when asked? How should we say it? Can we lie?

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This week, we conclude our conversation on the Manager Tools Annual Layoff Immunization Guidelines.

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We received lots of comments and email regarding our show regarding the first rule of layoffs. While our recommendation struck some folks the wrong way - "finances rule??" - those who HAD been laid off told us we were dead solid perfect.

The fact is, we did not expect three years ago to get such positive responses to our casts and advice on careers and career management. We SHOULD have seen it, but we didn't (and you'll learn why in this week's cast). But we are listening, and thus this week's cast.

In the same way that "Finances Rule" when it comes to being laid off, PREPARATION makes the entire process so much easier. Both of these recommendations stem from a simple principle: decisions of import made under pressure are dangerous.

So, this week: our Annual Layoff Immunization Guidelines.

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This cast reveals the most important concept a laid off manager must know: Finances Rule. it is the first in a series designed to help both prepare for and navigate through a layoff.

Most of us fear being laid off. It's a good fear to have, frankly - being laid off is a difficult passage for anyone. The fear of being re-employed, the fear of loss of status, the loss of income, risk to one's family. All good reasons to be scared.

And yet, those who have been laid off express very different emotions than those of us who have not. When those who have been laid off are asked about it, it becomes clear why. It's not JUST that they've, "been through it once and I made it." It's what they THEN say: "I'm ready this time."

And that's why you're scared: you're not ready.

This cast tells you how to start getting ready. And, our entire series about layoffs will be geared to helping everyone get prepared, and helping those that DO get laid off make it through successfully.

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Radio Shack has laid off 400 employees, notifying them by sending them an email.

Notified by email.

Today, we continue our podcast on Strategic Thinking and Layoffs, picking right up where we left off on the November 14 Podcast.

Our focus today is on applying the "Environmental Scan" discussed last week to the particular concerns over a potential layoff and identifying specific actions you can take to both identify the potential of a layoff and, more importantly, prepare effectively in case it should actually occur.

Sites mentioned during the show:

• PubSub
• Gada.be

A better explanation of Gada.be

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Part of being an Effective Manager is not just focusing on your day to day activities, but thinking STRATEGICALLY about your team, your role, your company, and your industry. We find that most managers are truly HORRENDOUS at this, and that's why we address it in this week's podcast. We understand why - there is often a great deal of pressure to get down in the weeds, and often senior managers are delegating out un-connected tasks versus giving perspective and scope.

What got us thinking this way was our recent cast on layoffs (Oct 23). Frankly, nobody likes to talk about it, but as a manager you not only need to be ready to deliver the news of a layoff for the organization, you need to be ready to be laid off yourself. Managers who are most ready to deal with being laid off are those who have good strategic vision, and they get that by regularly scanning their environment.

In this show, we'll talk about what you should be looking at regularly. We use layoffs as a context, but strategic environmental scanning must be done irrespective of layoffs - this is a habit that highly effective managers take for granted.

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