After 5 incredible months off I’m back at Microsoft in a job that was created for me.  I am overwhelmed with how incredible the time off was and how blessed I am to be back at Microsoft. If you don’t have time to read the blog here are the highlights of my time off:

• I enjoyed my family
• I was head coach of my son’s junior football team (6-7 year-olds)
• I joined a startup and quickly realized it wasn’t going to work
• I wrote my first book-Pain Drives Change-in 45 days!
  • If you’re interested in learning more you can Download Chapter 1 of my book Pain Drives Change
• I learned a TON
• I vacationed in Eastern Washington, the Oregon Coast and San Juan Islands
• I got extreme clarity on my vision for the second half of my life
• I once again realized how incredible Microsoft is as a company and was blessed to be re-hired after my first interview loop!

This blog is the “story behind the story”.

5 months ago I was sitting in a hospital with my mom before she had surgery for colon cancer. Mom is COPD so this was high risk surgery. Fortunately, they removed all the cancer and the surgery went well. The next morning I came to work only to discover that after 12.5 years at Microsoft my job had been eliminated.  Friday would be my last day.

In my time of pain I chose joy. As my boss was giving me the news I stopped her and with great peace and confidence said “It’ll be OK.  I serve a big God, He’ll take care of me.”

On my last day I awoke early to write my goodbye letter. Tears streamed from my face as I realized how incredibly blessed I was to work for Microsoft.  I sent the letter to everyone I knew and I published the letter on my blog.

Thank you Microsoft and Goodbye

This post went viral with more than 30,000 people seeing it.  I received hundreds of emails from people thanking me for the letter.  Many of them encouraged me to write more frequently.

My kids had just finished Bible study and their verse was Isaiah 30:21:

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

This verse was my guiding light over the last 5 months. When opportunities arose I would seek God and He always made it clear whether or not I should pursue those opportunities.

• Amazon contacted me with a job that I felt was perfect for me. A few weeks later an article came out about how toxic the Amazon culture is. I called and thanked them for the opportunity, but respectfully declined.
• Mu Sigma’s CEO read my blog and asked me if we could meet for an interview, he would be in Seattle from India for their annual customer conference. After 15 minutes he offered me a job as the company’s “Chief Gratitude Officer”, I’d be responsible for building a culture of gratitude in the company. I was excited! After learning that I’d have to move to India for 4-6 months to learn the culture I respectfully declined.
• A friend asked me to join his home automation startup.  I had a blast and learned a lot but in mid-September discovered that the space we were exploring was incredibly crowded so we ended the startup.
• I met with a friend that is a consultant and very reputable.  Before we sat down for dinner he said “Six Sigma consulting is virtually dead”.  I was hoping he’d say the exact opposite (I wanted to join his company and do Six Sigma consulting).  I didn’t pursue consulting any more
• I met with another friend that is an Agile consultant, thinking this would be my path to consulting.  After lunch it became obvious that this wasn’t the path I wanted to pursue, either.  My skills and experience weren’t sufficient.
• The list goes on and on…..

After about a month off I met with a mentor.  He shared that he’d just written a book and challenged me to do the same.  Tears began rolling down my eyes-I’ve always knew I needed to write a book, and now I had the opportunity to do so.

After being separated from my wife in 1999 I put a video camera on a tripod and began a video journal of the most painful period of my life. I continued my video journal for the next 4 months. I promised myself that I’d grow from my pain and I’d use my learnings to help others in pain.

These video tapes were on Hi-8 film and I haven’t watched them since 1999.  I didn’t have a Hi-8 video camera, but I knew if I wanted to write the book I’d need to find one. My son and I went to a yard sale and found 2 video cameras for $7. I bought them.

On Labor Day I put the first of my video journals into my camera.  I couldn’t connect it to my TV so I began watching through the tiny viewfinder.  4 hours later I surfaced with the conviction that I needed to write a book.

On September 8, 2015 I began writing my book. 45 days later I’d finished my first draft, 12 chapters and 47,824 words.

I didn’t know how I was going to publish it so I contacted a friend that had published a book. He gave me his publisher’s phone number. After 3 attempts I gave up-his publisher didn’t return my calls.

In my book I share about how Dr. Jim Talley played a pivotal role in guiding and counseling me-I wouldn’t be the man I am today without him. I called him up and told him I was writing a book and asked if he could help publish it. He reminded me he had a publishing company and we agreed he would publish my book.

My former counselor, Pam, also played a pivotal role in my healing. I wanted to call her and tell her about my book but I didn’t have her phone number. I did a search and discovered she had a counseling office in Bellevue! A few weeks later my wife and I had coffee with Pam, thanking her for her role in our lives.

My high school English teacher found my blog and contacted me. We hadn’t spoken since high school, but she was praying and searched to find me.  We had coffee a few days ago and she is currently doing the final proofread of my book!

After much discussion and prayer my wife and I felt that going back to Microsoft was the wisest thing we could do. I asked a former co-worker and friend from Microsoft to lunch. She shared that her boss had read my blog and was interested in having me join her team. A few weeks later I had an informational with my new boss. He shared that he’d read my blog and had attended a class I’d taught on Agile. After my interview they decided my skills and experience were a good fit and I was offered my job.

Monday was my first day. As I prayed with my wife before going to work I was overcome with tears. I had been given one of the best gifts of my life-5 months with my family, a book that I’m praying will offer hope to people in pain, and a new vision for my life.

Thank you Microsoft for rocking my world and laying me off, it was the best gift you could ever give me!