I've Been Downsized: Chapter 5

How Connected Are You?

When is the last time you hung out at that little coffee shop on Main Street? You know the one. You order coffee with names like “salted cupid” and kick back on a comfortable couch. Turns out, some pretty interesting people hang out there on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. Who knew?!

After spending 10 years in a series of global jobs, I’m enjoying the opportunity to reconnect with my local community. Don’t get me wrong. Having the opportunity to travel and work globally was pretty cool. I’ve been to Venice, Brussels, Munich and New York City. I have great friends in Shanghai, Tokyo and London. But I’m learning that you miss some great stuff happening right in front of you if you keep your eyes focused too far in the distance.

Now, if you’re not familiar with the small town coffee shop scene, you might assume that it works on the buddy system. You know? People don’t just hang out at a coffee shop alone, right? Wrong! Turns out, it’s quite an interesting way to meet new people and catch up on the local happenings. It also turns out that a “salted cupid” is quite delicious!

Free Cookies?!

This downsizing has been quite a learning experience for me. I’ve discovered a great coffee shop, met some fabulous people, and learned that if you time your visit just right, you’ll get a free cookie! You know the old saying, “nothing in life is free”? Well, they just weren’t hanging out in the right coffee shop.

Coffee, Anyone?

Since my first coffee shop visit, I’ve met a local theater director, a small business owner, a dean of international affairs, and a friendly coffee shop manager with free cookies. I’ve also been privileged to listen in on fascinating conversations. These chance meetings are part of the fun and add to the diversity of connections to be made. But, this has gotten my mental gears turning. I have so many local connections, but how many of them do I really know? There must be fascinating stories to be heard, lessons to be gleaned.

So, today begins my new coffee chat program. I’ll begin by reaching out to my local LinkedIn connections to invite them to join me for a “salted cupid” or two. If you’re in the Midland area, let me know. Regardless of where you are, I encourage you to focus just 10 minutes of your day making a local connection. Coffee, anyone?

Kristina Marsh is an experienced and accomplished marketing, communications, and business process specialist.  Want to connect?  You can reach me at klmarsh74@gmail.com.

I've Been Downsized: Chapter 4

Finding your voice:

Something remarkable has happened over the past three weeks! I've found my voice. The remarkable thing is, I didn't realize I had lost it. Where did it go? When did it go? Would I ever feel comfortable using contractions and pronouns again?!

After 14 years of being trained in the art of 'corporate speak', it had become so natural that I never considered it. It's a gradual process these voice takers use. One day you're asked not to use pronouns. Two years later, they take your contractions. Then, right for the heart- humor and sarcasm are not appreciated. Humor and sarcasm are not appreciated?! This was news to me!

Reversing the brainwash:

I've learned that it takes approximately three weeks to reverse the symptoms of 'corporate speak' brainwash. The first time I used a contraction, it felt dirty. I found myself avoiding the use of pronouns. I worked to craft really good acronyms out of the key points of my Facebook updates. I sanitized my writing of humor. And I trained my children well. Sure, my children have great vocabularies and speak in the Associated Press style. It impresses the teachers, but doesn't make for good trash talk on the football field. It's just not intimidating to hear the defensive tackle say, "Our team is going to harm you". We're going to work on that.

Here's the thing- I enjoy humor! I enjoy a little sarcasm! If you didn't use contractions, you would sound like a robot- or a Stepford Wife, neither of which appeals to me. And people sound crazy when they speak about themselves in the third person. So, 'corporate speak' is hereby banished from my personal life. Contractions, pronouns and humor are back in style!

It seems to be working:

Since I've allowed myself the freedom to use my own voice, something even more remarkable has happened. I've heard from friends and strangers alike that I should pursue writing professionally. Wow. I guess contractions and pronouns look good on me!

Now, I must confess that reversing the brainwash seems to be a 12 step program, and I may never fully recover. I'm still not comfortable with the words 'gonna' or 'ain't', although I'm sure they make good trash talk on the football field. I'm getting there though, and it feels great to hear my own voice again!

I've Been Downsized: Chapter 3

The Swamp of Sadness:

One of my favorite childhood movies was The Neverending Story, an epic adventure based on the novel by Michael Ende.

In the story, a boy named Bastian finds himself swept up in a story book, where “The Nothing” is threatening to take over the land of Fantasia. During the adventure, Bastian watches a young hero named Atreyu fight his way through unyielding obstacles and fantasy lands to save Fantasia before it disappears forever. The most challenging obstacle is The Swamp of Sadness.

Now, here’s the thing about The Swamp of Sadness- if you lose hope and allow the sadness to overpower you, you will be lost in the swamp forever. You have to keep moving, pull your feet out of the mud, and persevere beyond the sadness that is pulling you down.  Over the past two weeks, I've found myself in the swamp of sadness many times, but I’m working hard to pull my feet out of the mud and keep moving.

You must believe:

How many times have you been told to get your head out of the clouds and stop dreaming? The thing is, if we stop dreaming, then Fantasia will be lost forever. Fantasia is a magical world made up of our hopes, dreams and greatest wishes. If we stop believing in those things, they will be lost to “The Nothing” that exists when we just give up.

So, I’m pulling my feet out of The Swamp of Sadness and moving toward the next unyielding obstacle (I suppose that would be landing a job interview!).

I’m with Bastian:

It’s amazing how simple life can be through the eyes of a child. It’s even more amazing how complicated we make our lives as we grow up. Bastian was hesitant to believe the story was true- that all he had to do was believe to save Fantasia.  But, in the end, he trusted in his dreams and called out a new name for the Empress. Why? I don’t know! That’s how the story goes. He proves his belief by calling out a new name for the Empress, and Fantasia is saved. Okay, trust me, it’s an awesome movie when you’re 10-years-old!

So, my goal this week is to keep my feet moving beyond The Swamp of Sadness and believe that new adventures are on the horizon.  Thanks for saving us, Bastian!

Kristina Marsh is an experienced and accomplished marketing, communications, and business process specialist.  Want to connect?  You can reach me at klmarsh74@gmail.com.

I've Been Downsized: Chapter 2

Out of the mouths of babes:

It has been nine days, four hours, and 20 minutes since I was downsized. Not that I’m counting, but I have time on my hands to think about these things. And in those nine days, four hours, and 20 minutes, I’ve been told approximately 152 times that I should pursue what I really love to do. The trouble is, I had been so immersed in my previous job that I’ve forgotten what that might be.

So, when my eight-year-old daughter asked last night what kind of advice she could give me, I took her up on the offer. I told her that I don’t remember what I love to do.  Her answer was so simple- and so insightfully brilliant. She told me the things I am questioning are not the things I love, for if I truly loved something, there would be no question. 

Wow, we have one amazing kid.

Time to get real

It’s amazing how simple life can be through the eyes of a child. It’s even more amazing to realize how unnecessarily complicated we make our lives as we grow older. I immediately knew what had been blurring my perception.      

During the past nine days, four hours, and 20 minutes I had been crafting a plan based on my experience, education, skills and opportunity.  I don’t mean opportunity to have a fulfilling, rewarding career doing something I love. The plan was based on the opportunity to make money. And there it is. The very thing that blinds so many of us and erases our memories of the things we really love to do.

I’ll take TEACHING for $1000, Alex

Game show references aside, my daughter’s advice has made a significant impact on me. It helped me realize the things on my maybe I love this list aren’t the things I love.  They belong on my I don’t mind doing this and I know I can make money doing it list.

Now, I realize that being honest about what you truly love is a scary thing.  No one wants to close the door on opportunities that don’t make the list.  So, I’ll go first.

I love teaching. I love writing. I love leading and inspiring others. I love communicating. I love making things better (vague- I know, but it doesn’t seem to matter what it is- if I can improve on something, I love to get my hands into it).

So, while I patiently wait for my next full-time assignment, I’ll be teaching and consulting. Because that’s what I really love to do.  Kids say some amazing things!

Kristina Marsh is an experienced and accomplished marketing, communications, and business process specialist.  Want to connect?  You can reach me at klmarsh74@gmail.com.

I’VE BEEN DOWNSIZED: CHAPTER 1

What’s your brand?

After being caught in a corporate downsizing last week, I struggled to stop my head from spinning, get my feet back under me, and pull together a resume.  I spent hours, then days, staring at a computer screen, typing, then revising, then scrapping the resume all together.  It was complete frustration.  How could it be that I had spent 10 years leading large, complex projects; managing global, cross-functional change management initiatives; and crafting successful marketing and communication strategies, yet could not create a powerful resume for the person and brand I should know best.  And then it occurred to me.  Get back to what you know.

As an accomplished problem solver, I know there is not a single, magic formula for solving complex business problems.  However, there is one thing I would never do when presented with a challenge, and that is the very thing I did last week.  I sat down expecting to solve a problem and sell a brand without a full understanding of the brand I was trying to sell.  I had to get back to what I know.

Step one:  Soak time

One thing I learned is that nothing can prepare you for how it will feel to lose a job as part of a corporate downsizing.  You may think you have prepared yourself for what may come. You may be a strong person.  But regardless of what you think you know, it will be shocking, gut wrenching, and make you question everything you know about yourself.  So, give yourself time to soak.  Process your emotions.  Consider your options.  Let your friends and family tell you how wonderful you are.  And, hold off on that resume work.

Step two:  The epiphany

On day four, it became so clear.  The emotions of the previous week had been too strong for me to think like myself.  I asked myself what I would do if a client approached me with a complex problem to solve.  I knew that I would not try to work in a pile of papers, mess and confusion.  So, I went to work setting up a proper home office, complete with pictures of my children and reminders of all I have accomplished.  Finally beginning to feel like my logical self, I set up a project board using our large, glass patio door and a set of colorful window crayons (courtesy of our eight-year-old).  This project board is much cooler than the white board I had in my corporate cubical. 

Computer- check!  Pens- check!  Stapler- check!  Printer- check!  Pictures and degrees to remind myself I’m valued- check!  Project board- check!  Time to press on.

Step three:  The project plan

If there is one thing I learned in graduate school, it’s that you cannot solve a problem until you know exactly what it is.  So, a problem statement was born:  “I do not have a job”.  It was simplistic, yes, but powerful none the less.  With a problem statement in front of me, the emotion was stripped away and I began to think like an experienced project leader.  How many times have I told a new project leader the hardest part of leading a project is getting started?  You eat the elephant one bite at a time.  Break your project down into phases with measurable milestones and goals, which can further be divided into tasks.  This project was no different.  My project objective?  To find an even better job.  A new career!  One that I could really get passionate about.  Things were looking up!

So, what’s your brand?

Of course, a key milestone of my project plan was to create a compelling resume.  One that would strongly reflect the value I would bring to my next employer.  I still didn’t know why it had been so difficult to create a resume that reflected a decade of experience and accomplishments.  So many co-workers and managers had reached out to me to express their dismay, confusion and sadness at my departure.  They told me what a tremendous asset I had been, how it would be difficult to move forward without me.  And then it occurred to me that I should ask them why.  To ask them which words came to mind when they considered what the Kristina Marsh® brand is. 

And this is the start of the next chapter in my journey.  Using brand drivers that have been crafted and validated not by myself, but by the people who have worked with me, for me, and as supervisors over the past 14 years.  Kristina Marsh® is professional, insightful, creative, intuitive, accomplished, capable, strategic, results-oriented, driven, a leader, a problem-solver, a communicator, a mentor, a change-management leader, and a marketing process expert.

Stay tuned for chapter two of my journey.  I have a feeling it’s going to be good!

Kristina Marsh is an experienced and accomplished marketing, communications, and business process specialist.  Want to connect?  You can reach me at klmarsh74@gmail.com.