Becoming You with Suzy Welch
Career Confidential: The Secret Life of A Boss About to Fire You
Episode Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Suzy Welch (Professor, NYU Stern)
Guest Co-Host: Dustin Liu

Episode Overview

This episode of Becoming You dives deep into the emotionally charged and often misunderstood world of getting fired or laid off. With Professor Suzy Welch and Career Confidential co-host Dustin Liu at the helm, listeners receive an unvarnished, insightful, and sometimes humorous exploration of what it’s like to be fired, how to recognize when it might be coming, steps to navigate the moment, and, ultimately, how to reframe it into an opportunity for purposeful reinvention. Drawing from both personal experience and research, Suzy provides practical advice and reassurance for anyone navigating job loss—whether fresh out of college or decades into a career.

Main Themes and Purpose

• To destigmatize the experience of being fired or laid off, showing it happens even to the best.
• To offer practical, actionable advice for recognizing early warning signs, handling the moment with grace, and finding your next purposeful path.
• To explain cultural shifts—especially as they relate to Gen Z—impacting job security and employer expectations.
• To encourage existential reflection and self-knowledge as the foundation for future career moves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Are So Many People Getting Fired Right Now? (03:03–07:32)

• Spike in Firings/Layoffs: Dustin shares that several young friends (23–30) were let go within the first few days of the new year, prompting questions about broader trends.

• Suzy’s Economic Context:

  • Highest level of layoffs since the pandemic.
  • Companies across tech, retail, professional services are wary of adding staff amid economic uncertainty.
  • Small-batch layoffs cause chronic anxiety—“it’s almost like there are landmines everywhere” (07:07).

• Generational/Cultural Shifts:

  • Gen Z is being laid off at record rates due to value misalignment with employers.
  • Most employers value achievement, work-centrism, and learning; Gen Z values self-care, personal pleasure, voice, and helping others.
  • Shocking stat: “Only 2% of Gen Z is presenting in the workplace with the values that most hiring managers, most companies are looking for.” (06:31)

“So, if you feel like you’ve got a target on your back, that’s why.” — Suzy, (06:31)

2. Is There Really a Difference Between ‘Firing’ and ‘Layoff’? (07:44–09:20)

• Most “layoffs” are also performance-based—managers selectively include or keep top performers.
• “It’s essentially a firing. ... It’s very, very rare that somebody who has top, top, top, top performance is let go.” — Suzy, (09:13)
• Regardless, the emotional aftermath is the same.

3. The Emotional Fallout of Losing a Job (09:20–11:57)

• Feels Like a Death or Divorce: Overwhelming feelings of shame, embarrassment, fear, and worry.
• Suzy compares it directly to divorce: “It’s like a public death. ... Your identity collapses. ... It’s truly almost physical.” (11:04)
• Some stories take years to recover; others find purpose and relief.

4. Five Big Signs You’re About to Get Fired (12:02–20:33)

1. “Dead Man Walking” Energy

People stop making eye contact, bosses avoid calling on you, subtle exclusion.

“Just ask yourself, ‘Do I feel like a dead man or dead woman walking?’” — Suzy, (14:56)

2. Things Start Getting Put in Writing

Awkward meetings followed by written “documentation” of performance issues. Surprise performance reviews? Big red flag.

3. You Are Given Less Work

Project removals, shrinking to-do lists, no new assignments as others get busier.

4. Sudden Assessment Tests or HR Procedures

Organization-wide (but targeted) tests, StrengthsFinder, special tools. Usually a step in justifying firings.

5. Feeling Indispensable

If you ever think, “I’ll never get fired; I’m untouchable,” beware. Organizations dislike arrogance and overconfidence.

“If you think, okay, I’m too important. ... They’ll call your bluff on that one.” — Suzy, (19:01)

5. What Bosses Think—and How They Decide to Let You Go (20:33–23:15)

• Usually driven by money and performance.
• Suzy shares her own story of being “fired” (amicably) from a consulting firm for not generating business.

6. What to Do If You See the Signs — Steps to Try to Prevent Getting Fired (23:15–31:09)

• Self-Evaluation:
  • Go back to your job description (JD). Are you doing everything listed?
  • “Your boss has done this. ... They’re not doing anything on their JD.” — Suzy, (23:54)
• Compare Yourself to Top Performers: “What is [the top performer] doing differently than me? And then slap yourself and tell the truth.” (25:54)
• Overdeliver: Just doing the minimum is never enough in business.
  • “The only place you get claps for doing exactly the assignment is school ... School’s lying to you.” — Suzy, (27:32)
• Declare You Want the Job: Tell your boss, outright, “I love this job and I want to keep it.”
  • “Most people kind of retreat... you’ve got to lean in and say, I want this job.” (29:04)
• Demonstrate Company Values: Figure them out and show them actively, or you risk being seen as a mismatch.

7. Sometimes, It’s Just Over (31:09–32:14)

• If the values don’t align and you’re unhappy, recognize when it’s time to go.
• Suzy shares her high-profile firing from Harvard Business Review (for running off with Jack Welch), and a more ordinary firing from a consulting firm—both as necessary points of transition.

8. How To Handle the Exact Moment You’re Fired (32:18–35:28)

• Be Poised: Even if every instinct screams otherwise, act with dignity and composure.
  • Viral analogy: girl whose hair catches fire in a school ceremony but calmly pats it out and smiles. Be like her.
  • Suzy’s approach: “I said, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to work at this great institution.’” (34:04)

9. What to Do After—Suzy’s Best Advice (35:33–40:59)

• STOP Mindless Applying: Don’t spam your resume for jobs just like the last one.
• Get Existential:
  • “There’s a reason you got laid off, and it’s probably because you were not a fit for that line of work.” — Suzy, (35:53)
  • Figure out your core values, aptitudes, and interests before taking your next step.
• Use Tools: Suzy recommends the Values Bridge, her own methodology, or similar resources (like Brene Brown’s values list). Get clear on:
  • Real values (what matters most)
  • Aptitudes (how your brain actually works, not how you wish it did)
  • Interests (not just what you think you “should” do)
• Start Your Search the Old-Fashioned Way: Reach out to people. Jobs are found through connections, not just easy-apply buttons.

10. Suzy’s Most Memorable Firing Story: By Her Husband Jack Welch (40:59–44:47)

• As head of sales/marketing for Jack Welch Management Institute, she was wholly unsuited to the role.
• Jack performed the “firing” with flowers and wine—a moment of profound relief and a lesson in aligning your work with your real aptitudes.

“As he was walking towards the house ... I felt sick to my stomach. I felt like I’d let him down. I’ve not succeeded. And that feeling ... anyway, it was all good, but it happened.” — Suzy, (43:23)

11. Final Wisdom: Why Firing Might Be the Best Thing That Ever Happens to You (44:47–45:48)

• “A lot of times, the day you are fired is the best day of your career. It doesn’t feel that way... but a firing forces you to figure out who you are and to start build a life of design and deliberation.” — Suzy, (44:47)
• Most people eventually come to be grateful for it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Performance & Layoffs:
  “It’s very, very rare that somebody who has top, top, top, top performance is let go.” — Suzy, (09:13)

• On the Feeling of Getting Fired:
  “It’s like a public death. ... Your identity sort of collapses.” — Suzy, (11:04)

• On Job Security in Today’s Economy:
  “People are feeling like, oh, people are being laid off all around me all the time. And it’s almost like there’s landmines everywhere.” — Suzy, (07:07)

• On Gen Z Firings:
  “Only 2% of Gen Z is presenting in the workplace with the values that most hiring managers, most companies are looking for.” — Suzy, (06:31)

• On Bosses Wanting You to Quit:
  “You want them to quit so badly ... you want your problem to go away so badly.” — Suzy, (14:08)

• On Over-Delivering:
  “The only place you get claps for doing exactly the assignment is school. ... School’s lying to you.” — Suzy, (27:32)

• On Handling the Firing Moment:
  “I appreciated my time here. I learned a lot, and I am grateful that I had a chance to work at this ... great institution.” — Suzy, (34:04)

• On Getting Fired by Jack Welch:
  “Are you firing me?” “I am. You’re done.” “Yay!” — Suzy, reenacting conversation with Jack, (43:23)

• Final Wisdom:
  “You hate the day you were fired, but a lot of times, the vast majority of times, you come to become very grateful for it.” — Suzy, (44:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:03 — The economic and cultural context of mass firings
• 06:30 — Gen Z value mismatch and stats
• 09:20 — The emotional reality of being fired
• 12:02–20:33 — Five big signs you’re about to be fired
• 23:28 — Proactive steps to prevent being fired
• 32:18 — How to handle the firing moment with grace
• 35:33 — Essential post-firing advice (get existential before tactical)
• 40:59 — Suzy’s story of being fired by Jack Welch
• 44:47 — Why getting fired is often a blessing in disguise

Takeaways

• Job loss is rarely a reflection of personal worth; it’s an inflection point ripe for self-discovery and meaningful career pivots.
• Recognizing signals, performing honestly, and being bold about your intentions can help you preempt or mitigate the risk.
• The most powerful forward step: Know your own values, aptitudes, and interests—then build your next chapter accordingly.
• How you handle the firing moment can shape your reputation and future network.
• Despite the pain, most people are eventually thankful for the redirection a firing forces.

For more on Suzy Welch, self-discovery, values tools, or workshops, visit susiewelch.com or becomingyoulabs.com, or check social media for updates and resources.