What to Do When Youre Blindsided at Work - Your Career Intel

What to Do When Youre Blindsided at Work - Yur Career IntelAt one point or anotzu sich, well all be on the receiving end of disruptive professional news which can leave us feeling blindsided and vulnerable.Would you be prepared to act professionally?Earlier this spring, Kelly Ripa learned that her Live co-host Michael Strahan was exiting their joint show minutes before news went public. Ripa, the charismatic force behind ABCs wildly popular morning talk show, was effectively blindsided by the news leaving her in a very public and very awkward lurch. Ripa responded by using a planned family vacation to take time off and regroup. When she did resume co-hosting duties a few days later, Ripa put a positive spin on situation and joked that the national crisis was now over.Unfortunately for Ripa, the story doesnt end there. The press ridiculed Ripa for how she handled the news, calling her a diva and a prima donna and kennzeichnung her time off a meltdown. While the dust has since settled for Ripa and Live (Strahan officially left in May and Ripa is now auditioning replacements), the incident is an important reminder about the need for open communication and consideration in the workplace. Even Oprah rushed to Ripas defense stating that, Nobody should ever be blindsided You shouldnt have to read it in the paper. Ever.Luckily for most of us, our day-to-day workplace dramas dont play out on the national stage the New York Daily News doesnt publish unflattering headlines about our careers and Oprah doesnt weigh in on our latest professional challenge. But at one point or another, well all be in Ripas position on the receiving end of disruptive professional news with virtually no warning. Management changes, a project or client demotion, or a sudden buy-out offer can leave us feeling blindsided and vulnerable. Would you be prepared to act professionally?As a VP of Human Resources, Ive helped numerous professionals navigate tricky career transitions and upheavals. Heres h ow to make the most of this difficult situationStay cool under pressure. When were caught off guard, our fight or flight instincts automatically kick in. Its perfectly natural that your wohl response may be to yell, pound the table in frustration, or even curse. Dont. How you react can impact your ability to manage the situation in your favor or successfully transition to a job elsewhere. Stay calm and, as soon as possible, politely excuse yourself from the conversation. Head outside to clear your head, call your spouse or a friend from a private location, and take time to gather your thoughts.Assess your options. If your workplace situation has taken a decided turn for the worse, assess your pathways for affecting change. For example, if your supervisor just asked you to move onto a new project or team, is there room for negotiation? You may not be able to stay at your current position, but can you negotiate other benefits, like flextime or telecommuting, that will offset the chang e? When you do counteroffer, steer clear of emotionally charged language such as This isnt fair or I dont deserve this. Instead, cite specific examples of your workplace contributions and reiterate your commitment to the teams long-term success.Reach out to your network. Dont have an exit strategy in place? Nows the time to put one together. Put the word out to your network that youre interested in pursuing new professional challenges. Be discrete when discussing your current job situation. Even if you believe that youve been truly wronged, others may not share your perspective and misconstrue your comments. Keep everything positive and spare others the details of your professional drama.Being blindsided at work can feel like a very personal attack. Remember that in most cases, your supervisors decision is for the betterment of the company and not motivated out of personal antagonism. Try to see things from both perspectives could this situation have been avoided through better comm unication or goal alignment? Or, is this a case of a toxic work environment that youre better off exiting as soon as possible? No matter how out-of-control the situation may feel, you are always in control of your response. Conducting yourself with professionalism keeps the door open for future advancement at your current company or an easier transition to a new position elsewhere.Have you ever been blindsided at work? I invite you to share your experience in the comments below.