We Rise Together.
In business, and especially in high tech which happens to be the industry I am in, people getting laid off happens a lot. There are lots of re-orgs and changes and sometimes good people lose their job and it has zero to do with performance.
This was exacerbated during Covid because really no one knew what was going to happen, thankfully, it looks like America is coming out the other side. For anyone, losing their job is a sensitive topic. I actually got laid off while I was on maternity leave and I was extremely embarrassed about it. Not because I did anything wrong but because I felt a sense of shame and guilt. I was completely devastated going through the experience and have made it my mission to pay it forward and help other women. I actually just wrote a guide for Women in Tech to help women in the industry. I believe it’s important to help others because it benefits everyone.
Today I witnessed Woman A ask Woman B how her job was going. Woman A knew Woman B got be laid off due to Covid over a year ago. I almost lost it. Like why would you ever both to put someone in a position like that? It made zero sense to me. Not only that, but your kids listen to everything you say, they watch your every move and they see how you treat others. I want to raise a little girl who can stick up for not only herself, but others. I want her to see the person standing alone in the corner and invite them to come sit with her. I want to know that everyone is included, differences at all. We have to start modeling that behavior because that is how we rise together.
There is room for everyone at the top.
Ladies, let’s start supporting each other, K?