Getting Fired Is Just a Different Starting Line
by Dave Miller
Leadership Pathway seeks to help those just entering the workforce to do so in a safe manner through a two-year residency program based on core competencies and developmental conversations. We’ve long touted that starting better should lead to a better place, but sometimes things just don’t work out.
I just hung up with a resident who was let go from their role. I am bummed.
I think everyone did all they could.. The client, the resident, as well as our team.
Getting fired from a job is often seen as a negative experience, but for young people in their early 20s, it may not be such a bad thing after all. While it may initially feel like a setback, there are plenty of experts who would say otherwise.
Executive Coach David A Miller (rad name, yeh?) of Novus Global says, “you must take some time to learn, grow, heal, but you gotta get back up and move forward.” He should know. It’s happened to him.
Dr. Tim Elmore has long been someone that we have read and listened to. Interestingly, he suggests that getting fired while young is actually a positive thing. Yes, it happened to Tim as well! He says, “It was good for me to gain experience being terminated so that I could improve at choosing the right jobs to pursue and get on with discovering what my gifts were. What’s more, I actually survived the tragedy.” **
I’m convinced everyone will learn and move forward here. While Lp cannot own 100% of this we’ll definitely own a part of it. I asked the resident this question, too…how can we be better? what have we learned? There’s always a grain of truth to take with you. The client church will learn as well. They are now on their 3rd resident and looking for more.
It's important to remember that being fired is not a reflection of your worth as a person or your potential for future success. If getting fired was the end most of D1 athletic coaches and 99% of all MLB managers would be driving for Uber vs. getting paid millions to move forward.
We have to dig hard and find that the same must be true in ministry!
So is this the end for this resident? No. It’s just a new starting line.
** read Dr. Elmore’s other 10 realities of growth here