ALT-4 Fired how to Assess your own Behavior
Getting fired is never an easy pill to swallow. It is perhaps one of the greatest fears an employee could have. And yes, some employees do live with this fear constantly. We've heard it said that if you do your work well, be productive and efficient, you have nothing to fear. This is not necessarily true, particularly in cases where an employee may be fired due to company downsizing. Being fired, however, under any circumstances, still causes lingering questions and doubts that require some form of closure.
The fired employee, as hurtful as it may be, should not dwell excessively on theactual firing but instead, should do a self assessment of "why me?" After the initial shock of the firing is over, gather your thoughts together and jot down a few things that may help you understand what went so terribly wrong. In some cases, you do know why you were fired, but even so, the assessment still needs to be undertaken.
You can assess your own behavior by what you did, during your term, to add value to the company. If you can't find at least five things that can be reasonably measured, then you may want to consider five ways in which you can offer value at the next job. Throughout my working life, I have seen many seeming good, hardworking employees let go simply due to an attitude problem. Reflect on how you dealt with your colleagues and supervisors. Were you often argumentative or confrontational? Remember that frequently your attitudes are what your employers remember more so than the quality of your work. Other areas to examine would be your reliability. Could you be counted on to show up for work on time and regularly? How many times did your colleagues have to carry an extra load, because you weren't there, didn't pull your weight when you were there or just didn't care?
Doing a self assessment of yourself can provide you with valuable insights into your behavior thus allowing you to take ownership of the firing. Once you have acknowledged your part in the process, you are ready to move on to the next job, hopefully much smarter and emotionally matured. Do not beat yourself up though, use the assessment as a catapult to greater success. Many people who have been firedhave moved forward to become hugely successful in their chosen venture, but only because they learned from their imperfections.
