Late last week, Andrew Mason, the founder and CEO of Groupon, was fired from his job. Getting fired is one of life’s most horrrifying experiences and you just never know how someone will react to such an upheaval in their personal and professional lives. Andrew chose the high road, as evidenced in the resignation letter he wrote to his co-workers and then voluntarily published online.
His swan song is touching, funny and positively charged, but the most commendable aspect of it is his willingness to publicly own up to the part he played in the company’s problems. He was quoted as saying, “From controversial metrics in our S1 to our material weakness to two quarters of missing our own expectations and a stock price that’s hovering around one quarter of our listing price, the events of the last year and a half speak for themselves. As CEO, I am accountable.”
It would be easy to simply walk away or point a finger at someone else, but owning up to your mistakes is courageous. Mr. Mason does not stop with admitting his own shortcomings, but then goes on to wish Groupon the best for the future,
“This leadership change gives you some breathing room to break bad habits and deliver sustainable customer happiness – don’t waste the opportunity!”
Andrew will be fine. His unusual severance of $376.36 will be offset by $212 million worth of Groupon shares in his possession.
Life can change in the blink of an eye and we have all been in those situations. Although you can’t always be in control of your destiny, it’s important to remember that you are in control of how you act when you’re handed that lemon. I was laid off from my job a few years ago. It was a truly awful day, but the path I took was one I am proud of and that path eventually led me to Baltimore and to Teltek!
I believe that everything happens for a reason and that a new, exciting opportunity is always possible when things don’t go as expected. Attitude is a powerful tool, keep it positive and watch what happens.