For those of you who visit the Integer Leadership website often, you know I am particularly focused on understanding the psychological impact of involuntary job loss. I am beginning the research phase of my Ph.D work and am requesting your help in locating the right individuals for my study. If you are interested in learning more about this research, please read on. Thank you! Jeffrey D. Yergler
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I hope this email finds you well and enjoying what remains of the summer.
I am beginning the research component for my doctoral dissertation at Gonzaga University. My focus is on the posttraumatic growth process for organizational leaders impacted by involuntary job loss. Specifically, I will be researching the psychological impact of and recovery from the experience of being laid-off, terminated/fired, or being forced to resign. As we all are aware, with the ominous increase of unemployment over the last 18 months, many people, at all levels of the organization, have been profoundly and often negatively impacted by involuntary job loss. It can be and often is a devastating experience and one from which it is difficult to recover.
I am writing to you because I would greatly appreciate some help in locating individuals who would be willing to be confidentially interviewed about their involuntary job loss experience. Though I describe in brief below how you can assist me, I have attached a Word document that goes into more detail about the background of my research, the type of people I am looking for, and how you might help me locate them. Please take the time to read this information.
Again, the success of this research will require your thoughtful referrals. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email at: jdy@integerleadership.com .
If you are willing to make a referral, I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Gratefully,
Jeff Yergler
A Brief Description:
I’m doing confidential research on mid- to senior-level leaders in business, government, or non-profit organizations who, in spite of involuntary job loss have somehow moved through the experience or are in the process of recovering. It is my hope that my time with these individuals may be of mutual benefit as I hope to encourage and support them as they describe to me the details of their involuntary job loss experience. Furthermore, my ultimate goal is, through this research, to offer help and hope to others who encounter the devastation of involuntary job loss.
All aspects of my interactions with those you might refer to me will be held in the strictest confidence and will be reported anonymously as a part of this research project.
The Characteristics I Hope To Find In The Individuals You Refer To Me:
1. At the time they experienced involuntary job loss, they were employed as middle- to senior-level leaders in their organizations.
2. As a result of their job loss, they experienced psychological and emotional distress and disruption. They might have also experienced collateral damage involving family, friends, and long-held views of “the way the world works.”
3. After some period of time had elapsed from the experience of their job loss, they began to engage in an intentional reevaluation their lives, their work, and perhaps their purpose in life.
4. As they reevaluated their situation over time, they experienced personal growth and showed evidence of a new and deeper understanding of themselves, their work, and their purpose in life.
5. They are now more settled and grounded in their lives. They are reemployed in some capacity where they are contributing professionally and leveraging the insights gained from their experience of involuntary job loss.
How Can You Connect Me With The Individuals Who Meet The Five Criteria?
Once you are reasonably sure that someone you know has most likely experienced the five criteria above, I would ask you to approach them with thoughtfulness and respect. Because this can be a-bit awkward, I want to suggest the following steps.
1. Explain that you have been approached by a student (whom you know) who is doing research as part of his Ph.D. program at Gonzaga University. His research focuses on the experience of involuntary job loss.
2. Explain, in your own words, that their experience of involuntary job loss (based on the five criteria mentioned above) as much as you have been familiar with it, would appear to qualify them for the study.
3. Describe in your own words the significance of this research: to better understand the experience of involuntary job loss and how individuals can grow as a result of it. You may use this piece of information and/or the attachment to brief them on the research if that helps.
4. Based on what you have explained to them ask them if they are willing to consider being involved in the research. If they agree please inform them that the researcher would be eager to speak with them by phone or email.
5. If they agree to speak with the researcher and to be considered, inform them that you will contact the researcher and provide him with only their first name, their phone number, and/or their email.
6. Call or email me with their first name, phone number, email, and any additional information that would be helpful as I make initial contact with them. I will then initiate contact.
Thanks so much for your assistance. Please be assured that I will do my best to make this a positive experience for all involved. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Yergler
For More In-Depth Background Related to this Reseach, read below:
Jeffrey D. Yergler, Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Research Introductory Description for Participant Referrals
Dissertation Topic:
The Posttraumatic Growth Process for Organizational Leaders Impacted by Involuntary Job Loss
Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies
Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington
August 18, 2009
What Is The Significance Behind My Research?
Involuntary job loss is a major problem in the United States. As of May 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a total of 9.4% or a total of 14.5 million workers are unemployed. Approximately 65.4% or 9,546,000 represent those who have lost permanent jobs and those who have completed temporary jobs. Of this number, 6,140,000 (not seasonally adjusted) workers experienced involuntary job loss. The experience of involuntary job loss can be psychologically, economically, and relationally devastating. An individual’s family, friends, and professional colleagues can be impacted as well. Gaining insight about how to help people better understand the impact of involuntary job loss and move through this experience is extremely important. Such insight will provide a kind of “road map” to help the newly unemployed negotiate the often traumatic experience of involuntary job loss. Additionally it is hoped that this research will provide organizational leaders, human resource professionals, outplacement counselors, therapists, family members, and valued friends with vital information that will shed needed light onto this process.
Why Am I Writing You?
In 2004 I began the Ph.D. program in Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Over the last five years, my research, writing, and much of my course work has focused on organizational leadership and the psychological trauma and personal growth that can result from involuntary job loss.
As part of my dissertation, I am conducting research to more accurately assess and understand the psychological trauma generated by involuntary job loss, as well as how individuals can grow through that trauma to a place of greater understating regarding themselves, others, and the world around them. The title of my dissertation is: The Posttraumatic Growth Process for Organizational Leaders Impacted by Involuntary Job Loss. As I will describe below, I am requesting your help to locate the participants I will need for my research.
Why Is Involuntary Job Loss Important To Understand?
When organizational leaders, those in middle- to senior-level management positions in their organizations, experience involuntary job loss, they are laid-off, terminated/fired, or forced to resign by senior management. This job loss is “involuntary” because these individuals are forced to leave employment against their will. Regardless of the reason(s) that informed the decision to end the employment relationship, they are forced out of the organization, sometimes with little, if any, warning.
For some, being involuntarily terminated represents “no big deal.” For a variety of reasons, they are eager and ready to move on. Often these individuals will have the psychological, economic, and social resources required to weather the period of unemployment. However, for others who are involuntarily terminated, their experience can be marked by a severe and prolonged period of psychological and emotional distress. Family, friends, and colleagues can be negatively impacted by the job loss. Threats to one’s economic stability can quickly emerge. Perceptions about one’s own worth and the way one views and understands life and the larger world can be profoundly reshaped by the experience of involuntary job loss.
What Type Of Person Am I Looking For In This Research?
Some never quite recover from the psychological and emotional struggle resulting from involuntary job loss. Though they may be educated, experienced, gifted, and talented, their perspective of themselves, others, leadership within organizations, and the way they view the world in general is negatively nuanced as a result of their experience.
Yet others thoughtfully make their way through the devastation of involuntary job loss. While they too experience the psychological trauma of losing their jobs and the economic, social, and self-worth challenges that often accompany this loss, they eventually find their way forward to a place of new understanding, new confidence, a new depth of self-awareness, a new appreciation of others, and a new affirmation of their contribution in the organization and the larger world. These individuals do not “fight, claw, and scratch” their way back to “the top” motivated by anger, vindication, resentment, and the desire to “win” and to “stick it to the man.” Rather, motivated by their pain, a sense of shame, and perhaps a perceived sense of failure, they seek to understand their job loss, then move forward to new insights and vocational possibilities for themselves. Despite monumental “head winds” and a significant amount of collateral damage caused by the experience of involuntary job loss, they emerge from the experience different people: wiser, more self-aware, more thoughtful, more appreciative, and more eager than ever to contribute to others through some organizational context. I am looking for these individuals!
What Are The Specific Criteria Used To Identify Those For Whom I Am Looking?
With the above as background, I am asking for your help to locate the individuals who will qualify to be involved in my research. These are people who you know. You have been familiar with their experience of involuntary job loss. Though you may not know all the details of their experience, you are familiar enough with them to know they come very close to meeting the five criteria below:
1. At the time they experienced involuntary job loss, they were employed as middle- to senior-level leaders in their organizations.
2. As a result of their job loss, they experienced psychological and emotional distress and disruption. They might have also experienced collateral damage involving family, friends, and long-held views of “the way the world works.”
3. After some period of time had elapsed from the experience of their job loss, they began to engage in an intentional reevaluation their lives, their work, and perhaps their purpose in life.
4. As they reevaluated their situation over time, they experienced personal growth and showed evidence of a new and deeper understanding of themselves, their work, and their purpose in life.
5. They are now more settled and grounded in their lives. They are reemployed in some capacity where they are contributing professionally and leveraging the insights gained from their experience of involuntary job loss.
How Can You Connect Me With The Individuals Who Meet The Five Criteria?
Once you are reasonably sure that someone you know has most likely experienced the five criteria above, I would ask you to approach them with thoughtfulness and respect. Because this can be a bit awkward, I want to suggest the following steps.
1. Explain that you have been approached by a student (whom you know) who is doing research as part of his Ph.D. program at Gonzaga University. His research focuses on the experience of involuntary job loss.
2. Explain, in your own words, that their experience of involuntary job loss (based on the five criteria mentioned above) would appear to qualify them for the study.
3. Describe in your own words the significance of this research: to better understand the experience of involuntary job loss and how individuals can grow as a result of it. You may use this piece of information to brief them on the research if that helps.
4. Based on what you have explained to them, ask them that if they are willing to consider being involved in the research. If they agree please inform them that the researcher would be eager to speak with them by phone.
5. If they agree to speak with the researcher and to be considered, inform them that you will contact the researcher and provide him with only their first name and their phone number, and/or their email.
6. Call or email me with their first name, phone number, email, and any other information that would be helpful as I make preliminary contact with them. I will then initiate contact.
Your Referral is Critical To The Success Of This Research!
I’ll be honest. I have received a few of these emails over the years from doctoral students who were requesting my help in one form or another. As I read the background information and what they were asking, I was immediately “put-off” by the work and time requirements that my participation would cost me if I agreed to participate. Now, as a Ph.D. student myself who is asking very busy people for their help and some of their time, I better understand how very important your help is in order to make this research successful.
If you are debating whether or not you have the interest and/or time to help, I would ask you to ponder the one question that has compelled and propelled me in this study: How can we offer hope and help to those whose lives have been massively disrupted and even devastated by the experience of involuntary job loss? Fundamentally, at its core, this research is about offering hope and help to those who are so often cast adrift by the effects of unemployment.
You can help me make a difference. My dissertation represents much more than the final requirement for obtaining an advanced degree. It represents the means by which I believe I can offer encouragement, support, and practical wisdom to those who are trying to find their way through one of the most difficult and darkest seasons of life. This is both head work and heart work for me.
If you need any additional clarification or have any questions, please email me at: jdy@integerleadership.com.
Thank you…..
Jeffrey D. Yergler