Tiger Woods, left, and caddie Steve WilliamsMatt York/The Associated Press
After serving as Tiger Woods' caddy for 12 years, and sticking by him during the golf superstar's injuries and revelation of his marital infidelities, Steve Williams didn't hide his resentment about being fired from the job. He retaliated with blunt comments to the press and on television over the past couple of weeks.
Caddying for rival golfer Adam Scott, who won last week's Bridgestone Invitational tournament, in which Mr. Woods faltered, Mr. Williams crowed it was "the most satisfying win of my career" and the "greatest week of my life caddying." This from a man who carried Mr. Woods' bag in 72 tournament wins – including 13 major championships. Mr. Williams' comments were widely seen as a backhanded insult to his former boss, and drew heavy criticism.
On Monday, Mr. Williams apologized, telling FoxSports.com in Atlanta, "Looking back on it, I was a bit over the top," and promising not to talk about it again. But the damage was already done.
For employees everywhere, this high-profile incident provides lessons on how to respond if you ever find yourself being dismissed from your job. Here's what you should know, do and avoid:
Your response is key
How you handle difficult life circumstances – such as being fired – reveals your character. This does not mean that you should blithely accept being mistreated. Indeed, anger is an appropriate reaction to experiencing or witnessing mistreatment. Nor does this mean that you should avoid criticizing people or processes that are unfair. But this can be done with venom or grace, malice or dignity. You are responsible for how you respond.
Never bad mouth an ex-employer.
Being dismissed from your job is often humiliating, even if your employer conducts the termination process in a manner that is both respectful and fair. It is even more humiliating if you are mistreated during the process. But you must resist the impulse to lash out. If you do, there is a risk that you'll embellish or stretch the truth to put yourself in a more favourable light, or say something you'll later regret. Even if what you say is truthful, if it is motivated by resentment and anger, you will be revealed to be spiteful and bitter.
There may be unique cases in which you employer is engaged in illegal activity that you feel ought to be disclosed. In that case, disclosure should be carried out through the appropriate channels to achieve justice, not revenge.
Reflect and learn
Although it is unwise to lash out, it is certainly appropriate for you to reflect on and discuss with colleagues, friends or family members your experience of being fired and how your employer treated you during the process. However, the purpose for doing so should not simply be to vent your anger, but to share your experiences and to receive the compassion, perspective and advice they may have to offer. This will enable you to learn from the experience, yielding something good from a bad situation.
Find fresh motivation
Even if the employer acts in bad faith during your dismissal, you still need to consider the possibility that you were let go because your skills and other attributes did not adequately suit the demands of the job. This should not leave you devastated, but rather, motivate you to ensure that your next job choice reflects a deeper assessment of your fit with the expectations of the job and organization.
Make the best of the crisis
President Barack Obama's ex-chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel (now mayor of Chicago), once said, "You don't ever want a crisis to go to waste; it's an opportunity to do important things you would otherwise avoid." Being fired may be just such an opportunity – and one not to waste.
While you were employed, you may have realized the position was not ideal for you, but the fact that you had a job was enough to keep you from looking for another, more suitable one. Being fired provides you with an opportunity to consider a job that more closely aligns with your skills while still enabling you to leverage your previous experience.
It may be too late for Steve Williams to take advice on how he should have responded to losing his job with Mr. Woods, but it's not too late for you to consider how you would respond, should you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being fired.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Aaron Schat is associate professor of organizational behaviour and human resource management at McMaster Univerisity's DeGroote School of Business.