Joe's Journal - Job Elimination -

24 May '23, Number 5

Yesterday, May 23rd, was a tough day. I lost my job at 3M. There are lots of words for it, I guess, but at the end of the day, the thing I used to do at 3M, I will do no longer. I loved it and I will miss it. 3M was good to me and to our family.

With an inkling that this was coming, I hurriedly wrote the following piece, wanting to face the people who were firing me and remind them of my humanity, not with anger or rage against the impersonal machine, but with dignity and respect. I hope it is not too far off the mark.

I am Flesh and Blood, not a Number

I know, I think, what is coming. The 20 minute meeting. The attendance by my managers, Mike and Corey, and the HR manager, Britt. I have never gotten fired before, or my job eliminated, or re-org’d out of existence. But, the writing appears to be on the wall.

It may not be fruitful to ask, ‘why me’, but it's normal and there is not a good answer. Because at the end of the day, 3M is in a tough spot, a very tough spot, worse than I have ever seen it in my 25 years, and something needs to be done, something that delivers real dollars to the bottom line.

It's perhaps not fruitful to go down the path of what needs to change in our culture. There are many changes that could be made, to be able to move with speed and transparency and courage. That, however, is a topic for another time.

Now, at this moment, when the script-reading is done, so necessary and so impersonal, to ensure we are all treated the same, and the list perhaps of job positions and ages to show that there is no age discrimination in the process. The gol-dang ‘impersonal’ way of doing this, even the 20 minute time for announcing the decision. These are the things that must be done in fairness I guess.

But still…

I am flesh and blood. I have five kids; Brennan is 23. He just graduated from Stout and is living his best life as an Environmental Science guy down in Madison. Noelle is 21, finishing her third year at River Falls and kicking ass in Computer Science and Biology and Aldi. Shiloh, who I call the Mushroom Queen (it’s a story for another time) is coming home this weekend from Carthage down in Kenosha. The choral tradition of our family lives strong in her, as does so much else. Peter, completing his 11th grade year at Boyceville, and 17, comes up to the plate and hits home runs.  Somehow, he is the valedictorian, and the lead in our musical, and hopes to go to state in Track, and gets multiple medals at our State Science Olympiad tournament, in addition to tearing up the field in football, and playing a pretty competitive basketball game. And, he is kind and good, not just good at stuff. Lucy, a freshly minted 14 year old, got her braces off on the day of her birthday last week, and loves sports, and her friends, and baking, and our critters, and picked up the art of being a good student somewhere along the way.

I am flesh and blood. My wife of 25 years, Laurie, has been with me every step of the way. The talent and accomplishments of our children have much to do with her wisdom, and wit, and general awesomeness.

I am flesh and blood. In many ways, you know me at work. I have also shared much of my cancer journey. But I am more than that. I love gardening, and biking, and hiking, and making apple cider in the fall, and a lot of other stuff when its cold and grey - the warmth of family connection, the celebrations, the quaffing of beverages at local breweries. And putting to words my thoughts and emotions.

Yes, it's a lot - it's sad and hard and difficult. 

But, I am flesh and blood, not a number.

And I love this place, this big red 3M that I had hoped to retire from, this place of magic, and adventure, and science. Some things, however, are not meant to be. And that’s ok. There are new vistas to explore, new adventures, new teams, new challenges. 

Corey, I know and love you. Mike, I know and love you. Britt, I know you less, but given the chance, I bet I would feel the same. Thank you for this opportunity to be part of this team. It has been a powerful experience that is not easily put into words.

(l to r) Lucy, Brennan, Peter, Laurie, Shiloh, me, Noelle - November ‘22