The Glass Hammer

PINK Slips

By Amy Dorn Kopelan
Executive Producer, Bedlam Productions Inc.

Do you remember pink slips? Sure you do! When you were younger, you used to twirl around in front of the mirror admiring yourself in a frilly one or silky one. Sometimes you would wear one on a sunny day so no one would see through your sheer cotton dress. In any case, they gave you a quiet sense of power and often enhanced your feeling of femininity.

Now, as we have grown up and become part of the marketplace and workforce, pink slips suddenly look different, especially in today’s economically unsettling time! Pink slips no longer feel so benign and don’t carry such a happy connotation. Pink slips at work make us feel vulnerable, marginalized, or even frightened. That kind of pink slip is certainly not welcome in our wardrobe.

At the recent CEO summit I produced in Canada, one of the women directors admitted to me that she was mortified when she was handed a pink slip and went to hide in the Ladies Room so no one would see her cry. She left the company at the end of the day, but before exiting, quickly signed the severance agreement given to her by an HR manager. She did not address her team nor did she say goodbye to her colleagues. She was just so embarrassed by the situation.

I want to argue that it’s time to dramatically change our view of pink slips! In fact, as more shifts happen in the workforce and more companies cut staff, we should see pink slips at work as we used to see them when we were children, and realize that they are actually an opportunity to reclaim the quiet power we felt in our younger days. It can happen….so long as you understand that the day you are “let go” from your job, you really hold a great deal of power. There is no need to quietly slip out the back door.

Here’s the thinking….

Management would like you to go because your presence on site causes whispers, reduced productivity, supposition, and low morale. The company is relying on your smooth and swift departure. This suddenly gives you the perfect opportunity to negotiate the terms you want for your exit. Seriously! Whether a first-line manager or a C-suite executive, you hold the power to negotiate. Don’t give up the power and don’t cave! The caveat is to stay calm, clear, and un-emotional as you make your requests.

These are my 5 rules for leveraging your power.

1. Don’t give up your chair! Insist that you come into the office every day until the terms of your deal are in place.
2. Don’t be bullied. No matter what anyone in HR says, nothing needs to be signed by the end of the day.
3. Never accept the first severance offer. The company can always do better. Be vocal about your requests and always come back with a counter offer.
4. Always address your team or colleagues before senior management does. This is your opportunity to control perceptions.
5. Never assign blame and always avoid gossip! When asked, say the timing was right for you to leave.