Processing your company’s post-pandemic crash
Today I’m talking to Amy Cheng, who read Surviving Change at Work this fall as a way to get perspective on her role and its relationship to the organization.
One keen insight of hers I appreciated was that, until you have a handful of roles under your belt, you haven’t seen the lifecycle of a company play out in its entirety yet. So when you’re in your first few roles, sudden changes in priorities, org shuffles, and product pivots can feel arbitrary, giving you a sense of whiplash.
Once you know the business challenges of an organization at each stage, though, it’s easier to navigate – that’s the shortcut that readers say they get from the book. Read on to find out how her new insights inform her professional journey.
Why did you pick up Surviving Change at Work?
My company had a quiet layoff in late fall 2023. There was a lot going on at the time in the company – like a lot of companies, our company had a post-pandemic crash, and there was a re-alignment of strategies. I felt kind of lost. This book sounded interesting, and I thought it could help me make sense of what was going on. I wanted to develop resiliency.
Also I realized that, in doing two-year “stints” at companies, I hadn’t yet seen the entire lifecycle of a company play out yet. I think it’s pretty common in our industry to change jobs every few years, so I hadn’t seen these patterns in their entirety.
What resonated most with you from Surviving Change at Work?
I’m a Senior Engineer at this point, reflecting on where I want my career to go. Before Surviving Change at Work, I’d never really thought about my manager’s priorities. They have to make higher-level business decisions happen. They have to implement strategy.
Before the book, I didn’t think outside of survival, outside of my own role. After the book, I know I can thrive, but I can’t just do any random thing or project I want. But what I want to do, now I can sell it to my manager.
Who needs Surviving Change at Work?
Anyone who doesn’t want to treat their job as a hamster wheel. People who are asking questions like: How do I thrive? Is this the right place for me? It’s for people who want to be intentional about their career path.
Surviving Change at Work is now available as an audiobook on Audible and Spotify.
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