職場潛規則 你可能被炒魷魚的六個徵兆

Steve Walker, a veteran executive for Safeway Co., figured his long tenure offered protection from a layoff. He figured wrong.
在超市運營商Safeway Co.長期擔任高管的史蒂夫・沃克爾(Steve Walker)曾經以爲，自己爲公司工作了這麼長的時間，應該可以免遭被裁員的命運，但他想錯了。

He lost his job as vice president of corporate retail services last November amid cost cuts at the supermarket operator. Mr. Walker now realizes there were warnings. For instance, he says, his usually friendly boss turned terse during his final months.
沃克爾去年11月丟掉了公司零售服務副總裁的職位，當時Safeway正在推出一輪成本削減措施。他現在意識到，曾經有種種跡象預示這一天的到來。他說，舉個例子，平時一向友好的老闆在他離職前的幾個月突然變得有了距離感。

Mr. Walker's surprise over his sudden dismissal is hardly unique. Many highly confident executives miss subtle signs that they're on the way out.
突然被解僱給沃克爾帶來意外並非個案。許多信心滿滿的高管都不曾看到那些預示自己即將被炒的細微跡象。

Jill Abramson got abruptly fired in May as executive editor of the New York Times -- an ouster that she didn't see coming, she said in a TV interview Wednesday. About 70% of unemployed executives now counselled by Shields Meneley Partners overlooked or ignored cumulative clues about the falling ax, estimates Gail Meneley, co-founder of the career-transition firm. The improved economy makes senior managers 'less sensitive to reading the signs of trouble,' explains Hugh Shields, its other founder.
時任《紐約時報》(New York Times)主編的吉爾・艾布拉姆森(Jill Abramson) 5月份突然遭解僱，她在上週三的一個電視採訪節目中說，自己事先一點都沒有預料到會發生這種事。提供職業轉型諮詢服務的Shields Meneley Partners的聯合創始人蓋爾・梅內利(Gail Meneley)估計，目前在該公司進行諮詢的失業公司高管中，大約70%的人都忽視了或者根本沒有理會預示自己將被解僱的種種跡象。該公司另外一名合夥人休・希爾茲(Hugh Shields)說，由於經濟形勢有所好轉，高級經理人對於判斷出現問題的跡象不再那麼敏銳。

Increased time pressures further hamper executives' awareness about an imminent job loss. They frequently admit later that ''the signs were there. I was too busy trying to get things done,'' reports Dee Soder, managing partner of CEO Perspective Group, an executive-advisory concern.
時間壓力的加重更加令高管無法意識到自己快要丟掉工作了。提供公司高管顧問服務的CEO Perspective Group的執行合夥人迪・索德(Dee Soder)說，他們事後常常承認說，明明是有跡象的，可是我忙着完成工作卻沒有注意到。

This year's takeover boom undoubtedly will spark a new wave of management suite shakeups. On Thursday, Microsoft Corp. announced plans for fewer management layers and the elimination of up to 18,000 jobs, a streamlining move following its recent acquisition of a Nokia business. Lack of clarity about a post-merger role 'could be a sign that you're on the list for outplacement,' warns Sanjay Sathe, CEO of RiseSmart Inc., another provider of outplacement services.
今年的併購潮無疑將引發新一輪企業管理層調整。微軟(Microsoft Corp.)週四宣佈了減少管理層級數及裁員至多18,000人的計劃，以此作爲其最近收購諾基亞(Nokia)業務之後的一項精簡措施。新職介紹服務商RiseSmart Inc.的首席執行長薩特(Sanjay Sathe)警告說，如果你在併購後公司中扮演的角色缺乏明確性，那麼這可能意味着你上了離職名單。

Prompt recognition of shaky job security might help executives win richer exit packages and mount better employment searches, experts say. Here are six warning signs, gathered from nearly 20 outplacement advisers, leadership coaches, executive recruiters and layoff victims.
專家們說，迅速意識到職位不穩定風險可能有助於高管獲得更優厚的離職補償並在尋找新工作時增添優勢。下面是六個值得警惕的離職信號，收集自近20名新職介紹顧問、領導學教練、企業招聘人員和裁員受害者：

Your boss refuses to discuss your long-term projects
老闆拒絕討論你的長期項目

Last year, the marketing vice president of a small maker of consumer goods wanted to hire a booth designer for a trade show that was eight months away. His employer showcases new items at the annual event.
去年，一家消費品小生產商的營銷副總裁希望爲八個月後的貿易展會聘用一名展位設計師。他的僱主會在這個一年一度的展會上展示新產品。

The chief executive balked at approving the show budget for at least 30 days, however. The VP 'didn't connect the dots,' recalls Laurence J. Stybel, co-founder of Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, a Boston leadership consultancy who advised the manufacturer. 'That should have been a warning sign.'
不過，首席執行長遲遲（至少30天）沒有批准相關展覽預算。Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire聯合創始人Laurence J. Stybel在回憶時說，這位副總裁沒有將點滴小事聯繫起來看，這原本會是一個值得警惕的跡象。Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire是一家總部位於波士頓的諮詢公司，也是這家小生產商的顧問。

The man lost his job two months later. The lesson? Watch for significant shifts in your supervisor's decision-making process.
兩個月後，這位副總裁失去了他的工作。教訓是什麼？要注意上級決策程序的重要變化。Rumors fly about a hunt for your successor
有傳言說，公司正在尋找你的繼任者

The leader of a technology consulting business secretly hired recruiters last year to find a replacement for his operational chief because he wasn't doing well. Hearing about the hunt, the man confronted the chief executive. 'Are you looking to get rid of me?' he asked.
一家技術諮詢公司的領導人去年祕密聘請了獵頭公司爲它們尋找新的首席運營長人選，原因是現任首席運營長乾的不好。聽到這個消息後，現任首席運營長直接找首席執行長(CEO)對峙。他質問，你準備趕走我嗎？

The CEO replied, ''You're absolutely right, and you're fired,'' recollects Richard Chaifetz, an acquaintance of the CEO. He runs ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee-assistance programs.
該公司CEO的熟人Richard Chaifetz回憶道，這位CEO直接說：“非常對，你被解僱了。”Chaifetz經營ComPsych Corp.，該公司提供僱員協助項目。

The head of a Wall Street firm once pretended to seek a successor for an underperforming division president, hoping to scare him into improving results. The executive caught wind of the rumored search, and 'he came around real quick,' says Windle Priem, a retired Korn/Ferry International recruiter who refused the sham assignment.
一家華爾街公司的CEO曾想假裝尋找某部門經理的繼任者，希望藉此來嚇唬一下這位表現不達標的經理改善業績。Korn/Ferry International已經退休的獵頭普里姆(Windle Priem)拒絕了這項假任務。普里姆稱，這位經理聽到了有關尋找繼任者的風聲，他很快就反應過來。

If you can't confirm such a search, you should at least 'make sure your network is active,' recommends Les Csorba , a partner in the CEO and board practice for recruiters Heidrick & Struggles International Inc.
Heidrick & Struggles International Inc的CEO及董事會獵頭業務合夥人喬爾建議說，如果你無法證實公司正在物色新人選，你至少應該確保你的關係網是可用的。

Colleagues shun you
同事開始迴避你

It's worrisome when associates shorten their eye contact or exclude you from key meetings, email and work trips. But this sort of warning sign can be less obvious.
如果你的同事縮短了和你目光接觸的時間，或者在召開關鍵會議、發送關鍵電子郵件和出差時將你排除在外。不過這種預警跡象可能不那麼明顯。

An executive vice president briefed by Mr. Walker last summer wanted a follow-up session because 'things we were doing were very important to him,' the former Safeway official remembers.
去年夏天，沃克爾向其彙報工作的一名執行副總裁希望召開一次後續會議，因爲他們當時正在進行的工作對他很重要。

Despite weeks of effort, 'I could never get that second meeting scheduled,' Mr. Walker continues. 'That was a subtle message.' He believes the executive VP knew about the looming layoff because he worked closely with Mr. Walker's boss. Safeway declined to comment.
沃克爾回憶道，儘管經過了幾周努力，仍一直無法安排這場後續會議。他稱，這是一個微妙的信息。他認爲這位執行副總裁知道即將把他解聘，因爲他和沃克爾的老闆關係密切。Safeway拒絕置評。

You're assigned an executive coach to fix your flaws
上級派給你一名高管教練讓你查缺補漏

A company-sponsored coach usually means the top brass cares about leadership skills development. Not always.
公司僱傭高管教練，通常意味着老闆很關心領導者的技能開發。不過也有例外情形。

An executive should inquire whether a coach got hired 'to see if you can turn things around' - and in that case, request an improvement timeline, Dr. Soder proposes.
索德提議，高管們應當詢問一下，派教練來的原因是不是來調查你能不能改變當前的面貌。如果是這樣，那麼就要求公司給出一個改進的時間表。

In early 2012, a major insurer brought in a coach for a senior compliance officer after he clashed with a peer. Six colleagues previously assigned coaches had left soon afterward. The insurer forced him to retire last year. 'The coaching was all perfunctory,' he adds.
2012年初，一家大型保險公司爲某個曾與同儕不合的高級合規專員聘請了高管教練；而此前，有六個被指派教練的同事都很快被炒魷魚了。2013年，保險公司要求合規專員離職。此人補充說，請教練不過是官樣文章罷了。

You must justify your job
你不得不證明自己職位的存在合理性

A senior executive at a producer of food ingredients switched roles 18 months ago. During a performance review six months later, his boss appeared clueless about his altered duties or accomplishments.
18個月前，某家食品配料生產商的一名高級主管變換了職務。六個月之後，在一次工作表現評估會議上，他的老闆似乎對他的新職務、業績一無所知。

'I went home and started thinking, 'How can he not know what I am doing?'' the executive recalls. 'It was a subtle thing.'
他回憶道：“當時我回到家裏就開始想，老闆怎麼可能不知道我在幹什麼呢？其實這正是一個微妙的信號。”

In March, his boss decided that 'this role is not for you,' and asked him to retire this summer.
今年3月，老闆通知他“這個職位不適合你”，並要求他今夏辭職。

Your supervisor suddenly interferes with your employees
你的上級突然開始干涉你手下的員工

A communications executive at a major bank was surprised when his out-of-town boss inexplicably showed up three times in a few months and helped lead his staff meetings. 'She asked everyone's opinion but mine' during those meetings, he observes.
一家大型銀行的某位通訊高管非常吃驚，因爲短短數月裏，他那工作地點在外地的老闆莫名其妙地到他管轄的部門現身了三次，幫他主持員工會議。這位高管說：“在那幾次會議上，她詢問了每個人的意見，除了我。”

Soon after her third visit, she eliminated his job -- and offered a less powerful post. He quit.
老闆的第三次視察過後不久，她就解除了這名通訊高管的職務，下放到一個權力沒那麼大的崗位。這名高管隨後辭職走人。