It was October of 1984. I was attending a convention in Las Vegas and received a phone call from my boss. He informed me that the business I had managed for 17 years was being sold. That meant there was a high likelihood that the new owners would want to manage the business themselves, and I would be out of job. I remember my first reaction: It was excitement. When one door closes, another opens, and that can be a whole new adventure! I began reviewing my “Plan B’s”, and I called my wife within an hour or so after receiving the announcement. I told her I had some news: The company was being sold and I would probably be out of a job. Then I quickly went on to talk about my “plan B’s”, and the ones I was most excited about. It was exhilarating. (Some might say this sounds crazy)
Let’s face it, things have changed in the workplace during the past few decades. I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s. Like everyone my age, our dad’s served in WW II and came back to settle down, raise a family, and work at the same company until retirement. Now, it is different. The average worker in the US. will work at 5-8 different companies during their lifetime. Terms like mergers, buyouts, layoffs, and conglomerates are now commonplace. Amidst this changing world we need to maintain financial stability by having a job that pays the bills and saves for retirement.
Here is my message to you: Wherever you are working and however happy you are, have a plan B. I always have throughout my career, and I have ended up needing every one of them. What is your plan B? Are you nurturing it? I hope so. I close with a favorite saying I heard from an old mentor who has long since passed away: “When we go through life unprepared, we won’t go alone….fear will be our constant companion.”
