Being fired may be a misfortune with an upside – the chance to live more in line with one’s values. Recent research on the experiences of mid- to senior-level managers laid off from jobs in the U.S. and Australia found that the loss of their jobs was an opportunity to know themselves better and reassess their priorities. Bond University and IMD partnered on the research.

“All of the respondents talked about the positives associated with this jolt of job loss,” said Amy Kenworthy, professor of management at Australia’s Bond University, and co-author of the study. http://www.imd.org/research/challenges/TC006-12.cfm  As people climb the corporate ladder, she noted, they become divorced from their personal values.  Instead of focusing on self-doubt and cynicism, most study subjects expressed a desire to lead their lives with more authenticity and integrity, even if it meant forgoing corporate benefits and a high salary.

Three priorities were common to the study subjects: the desire for a more balanced quality of life, with more time for family and friends; more meaningful work which contributed to society; and job security and happiness.

Amy L. Kenworthy is Professor of Management, Faculty of Business, and Director, Bond University Centre for Applied Research in Learning, Engagement, Andragogy & Pedagogy (LEAP). [email protected]