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Episode Summary
It’s no secret that the world is going through some tough economic times right now. Everywhere you look, companies are cutting budgets and letting people go. And even if you haven’t been directly impacted by layoffs, it’s hard not to feel the ripple effects. So, it’s more important than ever to try and understand what’s happening from all angles. Whether you’re one of the folks who’s been let go or you’re still hanging in there at your company, we all have a part to play in trying to make things work.
In this episode of The Anonymous Marketer, we are joined by Kaylee Edmondson, the VP of Revenue R&D at Refine Labs. Kaylee and our host Nick Bennett discuss how marketers should set themselves up in this changing economic climate, define survivor’s guilt, and explore how those who stayed at a company can help those who were laid off.
Kaylee shares why she decided to leave her previous role and how building a network on LinkedIn helped her land her dream job. She encourages everyone to start posting on social media and build a community as these relationships will help you adapt and swim through times of uncertainty.
Guest Profile
- Name: Kaylee Edmondson
- What she does: Kaylee is the VP of Revenue R&D at Refine Labs
- Company: Refine Labs
- Noteworthy: Prior to joining Refine Labs, Kaylee led demand gen for Brightwheel, Chili Piper, Interimly, Campaign Monitor, and Kindful.
Key Insights
- Layoffs are tough, especially for the person who lost their job, but they must keep in mind that it usually doesn't have anything to do with their performance. Of course, we understand that that's easier said than done. But as our guest explains, in her experience, layoffs result from changes in the business. ''It's never a performance conversation; it's always a business conversation. [...] If you're impacted, I'd say that 98% of the time, it has nothing to do with your performance. It's a business decision that probably comes down to how long you've been here, how senior you are in your role today, and how much they're paying you.''
- Employees who stay must initiate a conversation with the management. Otherwise, they may encounter unrealistic expectations, miss the opportunity to help those affected, or not grow in these modified roles. ''A direct and honest conversation in the early days will help set you up for success to identify new swim lanes and more generalized areas of ownership versus the gig you were in before the RIF.[...] If anything, it could also set you up for success to have greater ownership and stake in the game. Maybe this could be your opportunity to break outside whatever role you were operating in and take on more ownership, more opportunities — try and make something positive out of something negative for everybody involved.''
- If you don't see yourself fitting into these new arrangements, it may be time for a change. It sounds scary as no one wants to experience failure or expose themselves to unnecessary stress in these uncertain times. However, even if you are among the fortunate ones who stayed at the company, you may not fit into the restructured organization. That is especially true when those who stayed are expected to pick up the pieces and cover the responsibilities of those laid off. ''Maybe these three jobs you're now going to try and inherit aren't things you want to do. Maybe they're things you're not good at. You don't find joy in doing them; you're not passionate about learning. I'm not saying don't become passionate about stepping outside your box. But maybe it's a different scope [...], and you don't think it will benefit you to try and adopt all those workloads, processes, and projects.''
Episode Highlights
We All Feel the Impact of Current Layoffs, Either Directly or Indirectly
”I joined this startup grind at a fortunate time — post-2008 recession. And for startups, that’s been like up to the right hockey stick growth ever since, up until this year.
So just this year alone, I have not personally been impacted by layoffs, but I do get close — for better or worse — to the people I spend the majority of my time with, working alongside, and have been affected by three riffs; it’s tough.”
Survivor’s Guilt Is Real
”My first feeling is, ‘Why wasn’t it me? Why was I chosen to stay instead of being the one to leave?’ It’s hard for those that are left behind too.
And action mode always makes me feel better. How can I get public, get visible, share this online, and help those impacted?
You can help those impacted or affected by a RIF or reduction to figure out what their next home is and find something that’s even better and [could] help them thrive even more than maybe the situation they were in with you at the company.”
It Is Harder for Management Teams to Publicize Failure Online
”I don’t know why they don’t do it. I think that’s because it looks poorly for them. They’re more connected to the brand, the vision, the strategy, et cetera. But I don’t see much bad that can come of it.
Either you share your news, or someone is going to subtweet you on LinkedIn or wherever and share your business for you. And there’s no telling how they are going to interpret what they think happened. Instead, you should take control and share your story from your perspective, and then, use your network to help all the people you had to let go.”
