The Redundancy Reset

A strategic plan for mid-senior professionals navigating change.

Redundancy can feel like a sudden stop. One moment you are leading teams, managing high-stakes outcomes, driving results. The next, you are staring at a future you did not plan. Whether it was unexpected or chosen, redundancy can shake your identity. It can even bring grief. Uncertainty. 

Sometimes relief, sometimes shame. But beneath the emotional noise is something else: Opportunity. Clarity. The space to realign your leadership, your lifestyle and your next chapter.

Instead of scrambling to replace ‘what was lost’, you can now create something better, on your terms. This article offers suggestions on how to approach this moment with strategy, structure and the personal power that can up-level your entire career.

1. Secure a strategic financial runway

The first step is stability. Not hope. Not urgency. Clarity about reality. 

Many leaders assume their payout will stretch further than it does. Even those who are used to managing seven-figure budgets often overlook personal financial timelines. You need a clear picture: What are your essential living costs? How long will your payout cover them? What is your buffer if the search takes six to eight months or longer?

This is not about fear. It is about buying yourself the space to choose rather than react.

2. Re-evaluate your career direction

This is the moment to stop and ask what you truly desire for yourself.  When you are no longer in the loop of meetings, deadlines and corporate urgency, the important questions rise:

What aspects of my work still energise me? What cultures bring out my strengths? What have I outgrown? What is non-negotiable from here on?

You are not simply looking for the next job. You are defining your future. Let that be intentional.

3. Resist the urge to move fast

There is a rush that comes after redundancy. The impulse to act quickly. To land something. To prove you are still relevant and desired.  But urgency often covers the uncomfortable feelings that need to be felt. And it often leads to rash decisions and misalignment:

Wrong industry. Wrong leadership fit. Wrong culture for long term growth.

Slow down. Clarify what success looks like now. Choose from desire and fit, not fear.

4. Understand the market has shifted

Executive hiring is slower and more complex than it used to be. Six to eight months is standard now. That is not personal. It is contextual reality. Leaders who treat their search like a strategic project. Who plan, track and iterate, consistently land faster. Many within three to four months. Define success criteria and milestones. Do the necessary work, not busy work. Measure progress.

Most importantly, make the mindset shifts that need to happen. This is not a personal failure. This is a professional reinvention.

5. Use a structured transition framework

Do not wing this. You would never lead a major transformation without a clear plan. Your own transition deserves the same level of rigour. Start with: Targeted industries and roles. A 30/60/90-day action plan. Clear non-negotiables. Weekly accountability check-ins. This is how you avoid burnout and stay focused on what matters most.

6. Bring in strategic advisors early

You do not need to do this alone. The most successful leaders bring in the right support early: Executive & career coaches. Transition strategists. Mentors, sounding boards and confidents.

Not to hand over decisions, but to gain insight and perspective. To see what you cannot. To stay clear when emotions could cloud your judgement or your actions. The right support system shortens the timeline and improves the result. 

7. Level up with purpose

This is your moment to grow. Whether it is expanding your leadership capability, deepening sector knowledge, or learning emerging technologies, invest in growth that aligns with your next chapter.

You are not behind. You are in between. And this is where the upgrade happens.

8. Prepare for the emotional work

Transitions are not simply practical. They are also deeply personal. Even the most resilient leaders experience: Grief. Doubt. Identity shifts. Confidence gaps

Do not bypass this. Apply what you know about high performance: Morning structure. Mental hygiene. Emotional and nervous system regulation. Support systems

This is the most important kind of leadership. Self Leadership. 

9. Activate your network with intention

You are not starting from zero. But many leaders do not leverage their networks effectively during transition. Get clear on who to reach out to and why. Industry insights. Warm introductions. Interview preparation support and feedback. Emotional support

There is a difference between broadcasting unemployment and activating strategic relationships with purpose. Do the latter and you will thrive. 

10. Build true accountability

Without the rhythm of work, it is easy to drift. Create external accountability. A peer. A coach. A structured group. Someone to reflect with, set weekly intentions and track progress, successes and failures on the way. 

Accountability keeps momentum alive. It grounds your power and honours your responsibility to lead your next move. This is evolution. You are not starting over, you are up-levelling. With more clarity, more choice, and more direction than ever before.

Redundancy is a reset. Handled with intention, this can become the most defining and expansive chapter of your career.