Laid Off, Fired, and Not Rehired…
I got the
call a few days ago, “It’s just the keyboard player and the drummer feel like…” I was not asked back to play. In a way the language barrier made it harder
and easier. Not making the team is tough
in any language and while “Don’t take it personally” sounds like the emotional
equivalent of “walk it off,” re-framing rejection is a technique to put it in
perspective.
In “not
taking it personally,” I listened to the reasons given, and even though during
the conversation I was dismantling each point, I let them make each point
without agreeing or disagreeing. Yes, I
probably could have made the conversation easier by agreeing to each point
(what difference did it really make?), but I didn’t. I should have and I didn’t.
All the
reasons why I wasn’t going to be called back were subjective and again, since
the decision was already made, weren’t even needed, and I thanked them for the
opportunity and was trying to hustle off the phone when we hit a wall. As I kept trying to move the conversation to an
end, the person on the other end was getting more and more insistent I had to
agree with their assessment.
I reiterated
the decision was theirs to make and I was good with that, but the conversation
started to loop on what was building to a demand I speak the words that they
were correct in their decision. As
diplomatically as I tried to slip that punch by affirming they had every right
to make that decision, the person on the other end kept loading up and swinging
that haymaker.
I would like
to report that I finally gave in and avoided an international incident by
agreeing they were right and not hanging up in the person’s face.
I would like
to report that, but that would be a lie.
Yes, I hung up right in their face.
I offer no excuse.
