Face Your Fear: Coping with the Fear of Getting Fired Pt 1
Even with a buzzing job market and The Great Resignation of 2021, radio people tend to live in constant fear of being fired. Chalk it up to a volatile industry, lack of feedback, ratings wobbles, the rumor mill.
And haven’t you heard? You’re not really in radio until you’ve been fired for no reason.
No wonder you’re feeling a sense of dread.
I look at this common fear on two levels.
There’s legitimate insecurity in this shrinking industry.
And then there’s catastrophizing a situation where you might actually be stable and your fear is unwarranted. And distracting.
But which is it and what are you supposed to do about it?
First off, in order to find out how secure your job is, be proactive. Walking around muttering, “I know I’m going to get fired!” won’t help.
Instead, call a meeting with your supervisor. Position yourself as wanting to make sure you are delivering on your boss’ expectations.
How are you performing relative to other employees? Ask about your ratings, revenue and engagement performance.
Where can you improve? What does your company need from you?
How can you help your boss achieve their goals?
A manager who sees that you want to be part of the solution will remember you and your efforts if the time comes to make some hard decisions. Also, no one loves giving negative feedback, so sending the signal that you are willing to hear it gives them more permission to be candid with you.
The Dalai Lama says: “If it can be solved, there is no need to worry, If it can’t be solved, then worry is of no use.” Next week, I’ll give you some tools for dealing with the kind of worry that is of no use.