Hi Matt,
I hope you’ll take this as an opportunity to understand how many of us felt after being let go without any explanation, without a PIP, and frankly without a shred of empathy. Our performance was questioned without any grounds, without so much as a negative review to point to.
Many of us also felt betrayed, and the trust that was broken hasn’t come back. Some of us hide it better than others, but it stays with you. It’s rather odd how quickly people treat you as though you never existed once you’re out the door, isn’t it? I imagine you’re getting a taste of that now.
In your case, at least, there’s no financial sting. Being sidelined still hurts, of course, but the salary keeps coming. Some of the people you let go weren’t even given a proper severance after five, even ten years’ service.
My advice, for what it’s worth: take some time off, have a bit of fun, enjoy the money, learn from your mistakes, and try to find a little more empathy for the people you hurt along the way.
PS: Don’t get me wrong. I do think people who underperform should be let go. My point is simply that how it’s done matters. A proper conversation, a fair chance to improve, and a bit of basic decency go a long way.