The more I thought about it，the more convinced I was that my friend was taking a remarkably10 enlightened app roach to thiscalamity7.Most people who have been suddenly put out to pasture tend to panic，when，in fact，they really should be maintaining their poise11 and sorting out their options.The interesting thing about career panic is how many ways it manifests itself.Panic isn't just the sweaty－browed terror of searching for the next job.It can also be a failure to say no to a job that's wrong for you，a failure to consider all your options，or a failure simply to put the unpleasant memories of your old employer behind you.
All these mental errors，which might be obvious if you could distance yourself from an admittedly stressful situation are forms of panic，as are the following two points that even the smartest people often overlook.
1.Don' t feel you have to show everyone you were wronged.The normal impulse when you've just been axedand this applies whether you've been axed from your job or fired by a client or lost a major accountis to show the world that you w ere some－how wronged.People regard the loss as an attack on their image and self－esteem.So，in a slight state of shock，they immediately pe into the same situation，as if that will show the world that they haven't lost their touch.In other words，they panic.They fail to step back and ask themselves whether they should be doing that job in the first place，or if they like handling clients or servicing accounts.
Some years ago I knew the chairman of a n American industrial company who was forced out of his post after a losing bitter takeover battle with a foreign conglomerate7）。This chairman，already in his 60s，could easily have moved on to a second career as a well－paid consultant，giving speeches，lecturing at business schools，and functioning as an eminence8） grise in his field.But losing his company rankled14 himto the point where，within weeks of his departure，he announced that he had acquired control of a new company and planned to compete directly with his old company.I'm sure this decision was totally ego－driven；he wanted to show the world that he hadn't lost a step.Unfortunately，running a start－up company is nothing like running a large organization.Tasks that he could delegate to several layers of staff in his previous life were now his alone to do.Without his old company's resources，he couldn't function at his best.
Within a couple of years，he realized he was miserable15，and it showed in his company's miserable performance.He lost money and prestige by this misbegotten9） attempt to show the world it was wrong.I can't help thinking that he could have rounded off his career m ore gracefully16 if he hadn't pressed the panic button，if he had waited a few months to get a more objective look at his options and perhaps watch some interesting offers roll in.
2.Don' t bad－mouth your exemployer.Feeling bitter towards a former employer（or client or customer）who has treated you badly is one of the more interesting forms of panic，because it's so predictable.For that reason alone，people should be shrewd enough to swallow their bitterness.Over the y ears，I've met dozens of people who have literally17 made second careers out of bad－mouthing their ex－employers.I don't know what perceived injustices18 or psychological pressures force them to behave this way，but it's not rational and it rarely helps their cause.
For one thing，trashing your former employer is a classic case of looking backward rather than forwards.Perhaps more important，speaking ill of your old company doesn't speak well of you.A friend who had been particularly ill-served by his longtime employer once told me the smartest decision he made after negotiating his severance9 was to promise himself never to say anything bad about his old company.I suppose it made me look like a noble fellow to some people，that I could let bygones10） be bygones.But I had a more practical motive：I didn't want to sever8 my ties with all the talented people I knew at the company.I doubt if my ex－colleagues would be so co－operative if they knew I was going around trashing the company that was signing their paychecks.
by Mark McCormack
我的一个朋友在一家盈利丰厚的媒体公司做经理，这家公司后来与它的一个对手合并。根据合并协议，他被选入新企业的高级管理层任职。然而在重大问题上他和总经理建议不合，于是失去了工作。当我有机会向他表示同情，获悉他的下一步意图时，他对我说：马克，说真的，我并没把这个事业上的小小不顺当回事。但我的朋友和家人却感觉这是个了不能的大灾难似的。我已50来岁了，凭手里的股票加上辞职金，用不着快点再找工作。可爱人都催我立刻再找一份职业。我失业时间越长，找工作就越难。我就得成'废品'了。可我理所当然应该休息休息，并不觉得这是在拿我的事业冒险。
我越琢磨这件事，越确信我的朋友面对这一灾难采取的是一种很豁达开明的态度。多数被忽然解职的人容易惊惶失措，而事实上他们应该维持镇静，选择出路。有意思的是，事业上的恐慌可在多方面表现出来。恐慌不止是头上冒汗，心里害怕，急着再找一份工作。它也使你面对一份不合适你的工作说不出不字，忘记考虑所有其他的选择，也不可以把关于以前雇主的种种不愉快的记忆从你脑海里抹去。所有这类思维上的错误都是恐慌的表现形式，你如果从大伙公认的艰难环境中脱身出来，就能对它们看得非常了解。下面还有两种应防止的恐慌形式，即便绝顶聪明的人也常常忽视。
1.不要老感觉你应付所有人说你遭到了冤枉。你一旦被解雇这里既指失去了工作，也指失去了当事人或主要顾客最容易见到的冲动是向全世界宣布你多少遭到了委屈。大家感觉失业是对他们形象和自尊心的一次打击。为此在轻微的震撼之中，他们立即再度陷入同样的窘境，好像以此就能向所有人表明他们仍未失去能力。换句话说，他们变得惊惶失措。他们不可以退一步问问自己，是否刚开始应该做那份工作，是否喜欢和当事人交际或为顾客服务。
几年前，我认识一位美国工业企业的经理，他和一家外国联合企业展开一场相互吞并的角逐，结果失利被迫离职。这位经理已是花甲之年，完全可以另辟蹊径，去做收入不菲的顾问，四处演讲，到商学院讲课，在他的范围当一个无冕之王。但失去他的公司使他气愤不已，以致他在离开几周之后就宣布他又买断了一家新公司，并计划直接与他过去的公司展开角逐。我敢担保这一决定纯属是受自尊心的驱使；他是想叫人们瞧瞧，他没失利。不幸的是，管理一家新公司和管理一个大企业完全是两码事。过去他可以把任务交给层层下属去做，现在他只得事必躬亲。没了他过去企业的左右依仗，他没办法发挥其才能。
不出几年，他意识到自己痛苦不堪，这悲惨的局面也体目前他企业的经营上。他想叫人们了解他遭到了冤屈，但这一幼稚可笑的企图却让他失去了资金和名誉。我禁不住想，倘若他没按下恐慌的按钮，倘若他再等几个月，愈加客观地审视他的选择，或等待一些叫人有兴趣的机会的即将来临，他本是可以为他的事业画上一个圆满句号的。
2.别说你以前雇主的坏话。对以前曾待你不善的雇主（或当事人及顾客）产生憎恶情绪是恐慌的一种更应该注意的形式，由于这种情绪是完全可以预料到的。仅由于此，大家应该放聪明一些，尽可能忍受心中的不快。过去若干年中，我曾遇到过好几十个人，他们没说以前老板的坏话，但却创出了第二份事业。我不了解是一种哪种委屈感或心理重压强使某些人去说其他人的坏话，但如此做是不理智的，对他们的事业无补。
第一，诋毁你的老雇主是典型的向后看而不是向前看的做法。或许更要紧的是，对你以前的公司进行攻击并不可以说明你就肯定好。我有一个朋友，遭到了他共事多年的雇主的特别不公平的待遇。他对我说，在他谈妥解雇费后，他所做的最明智的决定就是永不说他企业的坏话。我感觉我的做法使某些人觉得我特高尚，能既往不咎。可是我有一个更实质的动机：我不期望断掉我在那家公司结识的与所有有本事人的关系。如果我以前的同事了解我到处说发给他们工钱的企业的坏话，他们还能再跟我合作才怪呢。
panic n. 惊慌， 恐慌
slate3 vt. 提名为
commiserate4 v. 怜悯， 同情
hiccup6 n. 打嗝
calamity n. 灾难， 不幸事件
severance n. 断绝
conglomerate12 n. 集团企业，联合大企业
eminence13 n. 出众， 显赫
misbegotten adj. 幼稚可笑的，设计得非常拙劣的
bygone n. 过去的事