What to Do in the First 72 Hours After You’re Let Go

Grief, Narrative, and the Temptation to Disappear

You probably didn’t see it coming. Or maybe you did, in the way you notice storm clouds but keep hoping the wind changes. Either way, the news lands like a punch. “We’ve decided to go in a different direction.” Or perhaps, “We’re restructuring.” Or something less clear but unmistakably final.

You gather your things, or shut the laptop, or sit alone in the silence afterward, wondering what to tell your team, your network, your spouse and your kids. You know this moment will pass, but right now it feels like everything has changed. Here is what to do next…

Here is what to do next.

These first 72 hours matter. Not because you need to launch into action, but because how you handle this window will shape everything that follows. The next job, the next conversation, the story that gets told by others and by you. This is not about spinning it but about holding steady through the first wave.

1. Feel it. It is supposed to hurt.

Grief hits hard in job loss, especially when you have held power, built things, or carried a team. The brain does not always separate identity from occupation, and this feels personal even if it was not. It is especially hard for American executives who often struggle to describe themselves without mentioning their job. Someone just knocked the stool from underneath you not just financially but in a sense of self-esteem, identity and aspirations.

Shock, anger, disbelief, sadness is not a weakness. It is human.

Take a moment. Do not call anyone important until you have slept.

If you need to cry, cry. A friend from Navy, a high ranking officer who had to attend funerals and meet the families of the fallen, taught me that you cannot drink water and cry at the same time. So keep that glass full especially during the conversations that follow.

2. Do not disappear.

The instinct is to hide. To let LinkedIn go quiet. To cancel the coffee you had scheduled. To tell yourself, “I will reach out once I know what I am doing next.” But silence can be misread as shame or guilt.

While there is no need to make announcements, do not go dark. Even a few casual check-ins with close allies can help remind you that you are still you and you are not alone.

3. Control your narrative, and do it early.

If you do not shape your story, someone else will.

In the first day or two, think about what you want the people around you to hear. Board, team, recruiters, industry peers. Be brief, gracious, and consistent. Say something like:

“After several intense years leading the company through a major milestone, we agreed this was the right moment for new leadership to take it into the next phase. I am proud of what we built and excited about what is next.”

That is it. No venting. No defending. Just clarity and direction. Point to the best achievements made, remind your team of the joint successes and thank them. This is what people around you will remember and share with others when the questions start coming in.

4. Tell your team quickly.

If you had direct reports or a public role, delaying the message does not help. It creates confusion, gossip, and pain. Craft a farewell note or brief town hall message that focuses on gratitude and shared wins. Keep your dignity and give them something they can respectfully repeat.

Do not linger.

5. Call your lawyer, not your ego.

Review your agreement, even if you think it is straightforward. Pay attention to severance, non-competes, equity treatment, and D&O insurance coverage. This is not the moment to posture or push too hard. It is the moment to understand the rules of the road before you start walking it, negotiating a favorable treatment if possible and closing the chapter favorably.

6. Choose your first move.

In these early days, your job is not to line up your next gig. It is to reset your posture.

Do one thing that reminds you of your strength. A walk, a workout, a well-written note, a good conversation. You have been through hard things before. You will get through this one too.

Final Thought: You are not a cautionary tale.

You are not broken. You are not a failed leader. You are a talented executive who hit a wall, and there is a way through. Moments like this happen in many successful careers.

What happens next will not be determined by the boardroom that let you go. It will be shaped by the decisions you make now.

And the first one is simple. Stand up straight. Take back the narrative.