#escape with golden parachutes and leave workers nothing

[boyslit]

*marks 'stock market bubble crash' on my 'screaming 20's' bingo sheet*

So on the 27th DeepSeek R1 dropped (a chinese version of ChatGPT that is open source, free and beats GPT's 200 dollar subscription, using less resources and less money) and the tech market just had a loss of $1,2 Trillion.

Source

[introvertguide]

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); AFI #36

The film most recently under review was the British class, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). I know that this is almost an entirely British production and the American co-lead in this film is an add-on, but is on the AFI top 100. Also, it’s a darn good film that portrays the blindness that comes with pride and power. In a war setting, this blindness can cost lives and we sometimes forget what the fight is for (sometimes it is nothing). The movie won seven Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Scoring. The film also swept the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs (the movie won Best British Film at the latter). The struggle for power between a British officer and a Japanese internment camp officer is the driving force for almost the entire movie and the psychological chess match is fascinating. Everything else feels kind of like filler, but that might just be me. Before I opine any further, let’s look at the plot, which is always proceeded by:

SPOILER ALERT!!! THIS IS A CLASSIC FILM WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA AND WESTERN EUROPE BUT I STILL HAVE TO PUT UP A WARNING!!! I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THE ENDING, BUT I WILL STILL GET COMPLAINTS IF I DON’T SAY SOMETHING!!! ENJOY THE SYNOPSIS!!!

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In 1943, POWs arrive at a Japanese prison camp in Burma. Two prisoners talk about a recently dead prisoner, giving the idea that many have perished and nobody even remembers their names. The Allied prisoners march from the train into camp whistling the famous Colonel Bogey March and line up at attention in front of their own officers including Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson (Sir Alec Guinness). On arrival to the quartering area, the Japanese commander, Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa), says that all prisoners, no matter rank, will work to construct the railway from Bangkok to Rangoon. 

Nicholson says that his men will work, but the Geneva convention says that officers are exempt from manual labor. That evening, Nicholson meets the other prisoners. The rounds include an American Lieutenant Commander named Shears (William Holden) as well as the ranking British medical officer, Major Clipton (James Donald). In conversation, Nicholson tells Shears that there will be no escape attempt since his group had been ordered to surrender and escape would be defiance to his superiors. This adherence to “proper military behavior,” even at the expensive of self perseverance, is a major theme throughout the film.

At the morning assembly before work began, Nicholson again refuses to have his officers perform manual labor. Saito threatens to have the group executed, but Major Clipton steps in and says there are too many witnesses and Saito will face charges for murder after the war. As punishment, Saito decides to leave the officers all day in the jungle heat. At the end of the day, the officers are put in a cramped punishment hut while Nicholson is put into a very small iron box named “the oven.”

While the British officers are being punished, Shears and two others make an escape attempt. Shears gets away but the other two are killed. He wanders off and finds a Siamese village where he is nursed back to health and then travels to the British colony of Ceylon. 

Shears gets away but the officers are detained for what is described as a month later in the film. The prisoners won’t work and constantly sabotage the bridge project in protest of having their officers locked away. Saito realizes that he will have to commit suicide if he does not complete the bridge (as impossible as it seems to be), so he finally gives in and releases Nicholson and his officers saying they don’t have to complete manual labor. It was a win of principle and it is strange to see all of the soldiers cheering their officers even though the release will not give them more time or any help. “Yay, our superiors are allowed to do nothing and take credit for the work!! Hooray!!”

Much to the chagrin of his soldiers, Nicholson chastises the men for the poor job that they are done. The officer feels that soldiers need to take pride in their work to maintain morale, even if it means helping the enemy. The officers do a thorough overhaul of the bridge plans and move the construction downstream. They also increase the expected completion rate to try and finish before the deadline. Nicholson thinks it will be an example of British ingenuity and strength if they can complete the project on time...while helping the enemy.

Looking back at the condition of the American in a Ceylon hospital, we learn that the officer stole his rank and impersonated someone else in order to get better treatment at the camp. We know that this did not work out, but it is still treason and could earn Shears serious punishment. A British officer said that the American Navy was aware of this and transferred Shears to the British military for a special mission to destroy the bridge that is being built at the camp. Shears has no choice, but is allowed to volunteer for the mission to save face (which he does).

Shears is going to have to move fast, because Nicholson pushes his men (as well as other local workers) to complete the project. He even has Saito’s men pitching in an attempt to allow the commandant to save face. They are able to complete the entire bridge in only 3 months, just in time to allow the Japanese military to transport officers and dignitaries safely through the jungle. Nicholson proudly puts up a sign commemorating the bridge's construction by the British Army, from February to May 1943.

Shears is able to parachute into the jungle, commando style, the day before the first train is scheduled to cross the bridge. Four men are in the group (make that three because one didn’t survive the jump) that land and get to a Siamese village. The 3 men are aided by the local chief and some of the village women. The group go under the cover of darkness and plant explosives on the bridge supports below the water line. The group waits until the next day to try and blow up the bridge and the dignitaries at the same time.

A problem arises at daybreak when the level of the river goes down and exposes the wire connecting the explosives and the detonator. This is spotted by Nicholson and he is so wrapped up in honor and duty that he point it out to Saito. The two officers take a group of Japanese soldiers over to investigate what is going on in the riverbank. It appears that Nicholson has forgotten what side he is on amongst the fervor to complete his pet project in the name of the British military. 

One of the commandoes breaks cover and kills Saito while Nicholson actually yells for help to keep the team from the detonator. He is killed and Shears runs out to try and hit the detonator but is shot and killed as well. Nicholson sees Shears and realizes what he has done. A mortar round from the last commando in the brush injuries Nicholson and he has just enough energy to fall on the plunger for the detonator to blow up the bridge just as the train is crossing. The medical officer, Clipton, watches the proceedings and mutters to himself “Madness!” Roll credits.

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I harp on the movie for not being American, yet still on the AFI top 100. I will admit here that there is a large portion of the film that is designated to the adventures of Major Shear that feels quite like an American story. The thing is, it doesn’t feel like he has a character arc at all. On the other hand, neither does Nicholson until the last 5 minutes of a movie that is over 2.5 hours long. He has the character direction of a candy cane. 

I will get into the great parts of the film, but one more complaint is the pace of the film. It is really boring at times. The characters are established early on in the movie and don’t really change, so they do exactly what you would expect them to do. The only twist at all is literally in the last five minutes. That last five minutes is phenomenal, but you sure have to be patient to get that far. I had to watch the movie twice because I fell asleep during the third quarter of the film. Upon watching again, I realized that I really did not miss much.

For the good, Sir Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa were amazing. Both play men trying to survive in an impossible situation and the only thing guiding them is principles and honor. Without their principles, they will die and so will the men that report to them. It seems obvious that both men have made decisions that have ended up with the death of soldiers and civilians, so neither is afraid to sacrifice themselves or others on principle. 

I am somewhat confused as to why the Allied soldiers follow the orders of Nicholson. His fight is so that he does not have to do manual labor. When he wins the game of chicken with Saito, he rewards his men by having them work harder to aid the cause of the enemy. Nicholson is like Forrest Gump in some ways because he does exactly what he is told to do (or at least how interprets his instructions). Officers don’t participate in manual labor so risks his (and his officers) to abide this. He was ordered to surrender so he will not attempt escape. The bridge is based off British plans so he will complete the job. He is given a deadline to accommodate enemy officers and dignitaries so he will finish before that time. Those guys shouldn’t be down by the river with explosives so he immediately informs Saito.

Shears was probably the most flexible character, but he did not change over the family. He also did not look like somebody who had been in a POW camp. He had a bit of a dirt tan, but he was healthy and muscular like a man who had a muscle isolated workout plan and a balanced 3,000 daily calorie diet. The clothes may have been shabby, but none of the soldiers really looked like starving POWs. Also, all of the women in the film (there were a few) were all young, good looking, and had great teeth. I kind of doubt it. 

Although the characters were interesting, the film did a pretty poor job of painting each lead as a stereotype. The American lied about his history, talked big, and took on the crazy missions. The British officer followed rules to the point of harming others. The Japanese officer was honor bound and willing to kill as a matter of obedience. This is not what I think, but it was reportedly what the writer of the source material, Pierre Boulle, thought. 

One thing that I have not touched upon because I wanted to save it mostly for when director David Lean’s opus, Lawrence of Arabia, comes up, the shots of the jungle in Cinemascope are beautiful. From the beginning when we ride in on a train right behind a machine gun, the background speaks volumes. There are not a lot of close ups because the jungle is made into a character. There is no greater threat to the captors or the prisoners than the environment surrounding them and Lean makes sure that the viewer is constantly aware of this. It is really what keeps the film from becoming tedious at times, so a round of applause for director David Lean and cinematographer Jack Hildyard.

My questions that I always ask myself will be answered a little different than normal. Does this film belong on the AFI top 100? Absolutely not. It is blatantly a British film and should not be pilfered because of a couple American actors and screenwriters. It does, however belong on the BFI top 100 and it stands at #11 on the list of greatest British films. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Also, pay attention to the scenery because the characters are established very early and have little growth, so the camera work is the best part between the first 30 minutes and the last 15 minutes. I am not sure that the film needed to be so long, but it is still very good and deserves a full watch.

[debu-neko-kun]

12XL: One Size Fits All

This was a commission for somebody on Discord. I was given the prompt “Guy grows huge from magic underwear” and, well, we have this! One of my favorite growth methods, I gotta say. Anyway, enjoy a slender Korean lad growing quite large. 

Kae yawned and stretched his slender arms, squinting against the bright sun as he awoke. Despite the rays on his pale, freckled skin, he shivered like an ice storm bore down on him and shuffled to the bathroom on zombie-like autopilot. The light above the sink flickered as he waited for the bathtub to fill, his tailbone pressing uncomfortably against the seat cover of the toilet. Just as well, he thought as he stared at the same thin, sunken features as always. Sharp, boring jaw lines, a sharp chin, piercing blue eyes. Narrow, cold, lacking… something. But what? As he sank into the warm water, he pondered this. What could possibly make him love himself? What push, nudge, poke in the right direction could he possibly find? He had a nice job, a decent apartment, time enough for himself. Sure, he didn’t exactly have an insane amount of friends… or any… and sure, his love life was lacking… severely… but what was stopping him from just going out and finding somebody? He had options! There was Steve in accounting… no, he was with Brad, right. Tom, in publishing? Zip, he was straight as an arrow. John? Forget it. Kae sank deeper into the steamy bath water, out of the stream of morning light. There was only really one man he wanted… “Don’t think about it.” he murmured to himself. Too late. James. The name curled around his mind tight as a noose, bringing a fresh red flush to his cheeks. He’d first laid eyes on the gentle creature nearly a month ago, after a particularly tiresome night at work. Muscles too weak to craft a meal from the fridge, he’d ordered out: a small pizza. When it arrived, he’d expected the same variety of highschool punk. Instead, he’d opened the door to find a cute, flustered, slightly-overweight cupid staring back at him. “Oh, uhm… hello there. Kae, publishing.” He’d smiled, offering his hand to the confused worker. “Uh, hey. Guess this is for you, Mr. Kae. Enjoy.” He responded softly, lips curling into a slight smile as he placed the pizza into his outstretched hand. “Yes… right, thank you. Goodbye.” And that was that. One awkward meeting on his doorstep and his heart was sent reeling, rolling into an abyss that bowled any thoughts of work for the next several days. Was this what a crush felt like? There was never any time for them before now, only flings, but something about James sparked a flame in his lonely heart. A few days later, hungry and bored, he skimmed through the advertisements on the community page, spotting the same pizza place he’d ordered from a few nights earlier. They weren’t far, and the food was good…   Before he could consider other options, Kae was already at the front counter, ordering a medium cheese from a 400 lb highschooler. He gave him a smile and waddled to the back while Kae found a seat, and that’s when he saw it: The kiss. James, pizza boy James, cupid James, “Would you like a coffee with me?” James, wrapped up in the arms of a man at least five times his weight, exchanging soft, passionate kisses beneath the neon light of the arcade games in the corner. The lights stained the memory pink, made his stomach flip just thinking about it. The way James grabbed his overflowing backfat, the way their chubby chins pushed and rubbed together, the way their massive thighs intertwined… Kae submerged his head beneath the lukewarm water in the present. Be happy for him, he thought. You were just too late. Too late and not his type. Just as he thought his eyes would explode from holding in hot tears, the buzzer sounded out at the door. Kae quickly surfaced and slipped out of the tub, wrapping himself in an absorbent blue bathrobe before rushing off to the door, just as the buzzer rang again. “Who is it?” he asked, holding down the call button. “Delivery!” sang a voice from below, high and excited. “Delivery? I didn’t order anything. You must have the wrong house-” “One package for a mister Kae Chi-gon, 8th floor, Room 255. Special delivery, I need a signature please!” Kae sighed and leaned his head against the buzzer panel. “Come on up. It’s unlocked.” He heard a boyish giggle before letting up on the button, moving to unlock the door. Before he could even slide the latch back, a tiny knock rapped at his door. “What the-” he started, quickly pulling the door open to reveal a short, wide-hipped boy in what appeared to be some sort postal uniform, only far more gothic. Kae’s eyes were immediately drawn to the black khaki shorts that snugged tight against his bottom, doing nothing to slim the basketball butt and thick hips, only serving to accentuate his unnaturally pale thighs that bulged against his striped knee-high socks. “Allow me to introduce myself, mortal man! My name is P.M. Crowe, with the Incubus Delivery Service. I couldn’t help but feel your heart breaking, and deemed it necessary to invoke my services to get it back to tip top shape!” Kae squinted at the boy as he stood in the doorway, hand on one hip, his other slender arm clutching a box decorated with gold foil. “Is this some kind of prank? Did somebody at the office send you?” he scoffed. “I don’t think it’s very funny, now if you’ll excuse me-” Kae moved to shut the door, but Crowe quickly grabbed the edge of the frame. “W-Wait, don’t shut me out yet!” he begged, his tiny demon wing hair clip clinking against the door. “I can give you anything you want!” “I don’t want anything you can give, now go away!” he grunted, pushing harder on the door. “James is single!” Kae suddenly stopped pushing, heart catching in his throat. “…What did you just say?” With a little grunt, Crowe slipped his way inside, walking around to face Kae who now leaned with his back to the door. He took a moment to dust off his varsity jacket and straighten the tie beneath before continuing. “James is single. His boyfriend of three months left him, and he’s been rather sad. Heartbroken, actually, like you… which is why I’m here. To bring you two together and patch up some hearts!” “Yeah, well, good luck with that. I’ve seen his type. They’re… heftier… and look at me.” Kae gestured, pulling back his robe to reveal his ribs. “Not exactly a perfect match.” “You know, it’s not about-” Crowe began, but stopped as his watch beeped. “Oh great, I’m already behind schedule! Come on, man; sign for the package, and I can give you something to help with everything. Promise!” Kae eyed him suspiciously, arms crossed across his slender chest. “…Fine. Got a pen?” Crowe lit up like a match and produced a golden pen from his pocket. “I promise you won’t regret it! It’s the code of every Incubus Delivery Service postal worker to fix, mend, and otherwise bring light back into the hearts of the sullen, whether it’s by bringing together true love or creating a new one! And I, P.M. Crowe, promise to-” “Done. Didn’t you have somewhere to be?” Kae huffed. “Oh, right! Here’s your box, and remember to always be true to yourself! Gotta go, be seeing you, Mr. Kae!” Crowe called out as he squeezed past Kae and ran out the door, which quickly closed by itself, leaving behind a comical puff of pink smoke.   Kae stood for a few moments, box under his arm, trying to process what just happened. Incubus? James? This is all too bizarre… could anything he said have really been true? Only one way to find out. Kae cautiously peeled the tape back, letting the cardboard flaps spring open. Too dark to see inside, he put his hand in and grabbed a clump of thick fabric, pulling it out to the light. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” he sighed, letting the box fall to the floor. In his hands, stretched out further than his body spanned, was a pair of white briefs big enough to wrap around a couch. The tag on the back was nothing but a dozen Xs and an L, a testament to their size, surely signing itself as nothing more than a gag gift. Flipping them around, he could see a massive heart print on the back, hanging loosely like a spent parachute. “That little…” he began, lips tightening in frustration. Suddenly, he stopped himself letting out a long, breezy exhale. “Don’t lose it, Kae. Just some… weird little punk from the pizza place, an elaborate prankster. Unless- no, no.” he shook his head, retreating to his bedroom with the garment still clutched to his fingers. He quickly set to work, laying out his clothing for the day: one pair of black socks, one pressed shirt, slacks… …and an empty underwear drawer. He cursed his luck and lack of laundry planning, spinning around to scan his pristine room for any stray undergarments that may have escaped (as unlikely as that may be.) He searched, moving around through other drawers and over the wardrobe before giving up, retreating back to the bed… and the oversized underwear. “I… guess If I fold it correctly, nobody will notice…” he murmured to himself, letting his robe slip to the floor. He put the underwear down and inserted one leg, then the other, feeling like a dainty cheerleader in a football locker room as he pulled the undies up to his waist and nearly to his chest. “Heh… looking good, Kae.” He chuckled, turning around to admire his cloth-cloaked backside in the full-sized mirror. He shook it a few times, giggling as it bounced back and forth gently. Wait… bounced? No part of his body had bounced a day in his life. He was, and always had been, for all intents and purposes, a stick. So why is he now staring at a pair of quickly thickening ass cheeks and a roll-covered back? Kae rapidly spun himself back around to face the mirror, the new additions to his body nearly dragging him over. His stomach sagged out, quickly filling up the empty space in the once-roomy waistband with blubber-packed belly. He slowly reached down in disbelief, gently prodding at the ever-expanding rolls with his dimpled fingers that quickly plumped into thick little sausages. “How is this happening?…” he breathed, moving his hands up to feel his cheeks thicken and swell against his rapidly disappearing neck, the space of which replaced by a blossoming second chin that seemed to get closer to his blobby man-breasts by the second. The underwear that seemed so impossibly large only a moment ago now began to tighten against his belly, the band squeezing between two overhanging lovehandles at his sides and hugging his lightly-sweating doughy buttcheeks like a pair of scanty panties. Kae was lost, lost in himself, in the moment, in the sensations. He should be panicking, he thought. Scream, call an ambulance! But… His arm fat dipped down like a pair of flabby bingo wings, patting against the massive dollop of sour cream that was his belly as he reached up to squeeze his breasts, pert pink nipples and luscious, creamy fat bulging between his bloated fingers. …it feels so good! His cheeks flushed rose red as he slid his hands back, into his waistband, squeezing his cellulite-laden butt fat in his palms. Warm, sweaty fat, at least 500 pounds of it and steadily growing, all him… gone was the sharp chin, replaced with a double that jiggled with a quick turn of his head (not that much of anything about him would be quick anymore.) Sunken ribs were swapped with an unending expanse of rolls and lovehandles that contained so much lardy flab, thin thighs with bags of fat that smooshed and sagged well past a defining line. He hugged himself, the growth jolting forward in one last jump of weight as if to reach out and hug him back, rewarding him with so much more warmth and total comfort. Just as the weight climb trickled to a rapid halt, a knock sounded at the door. “H-Huh?… Wait, that boy, Crowe!” he muttered, snapping back from his warm daze. “Coming!” he called, voice somewhat deeper than it had been before, taking a wobbly step out of the bedroom and into the hall, holding onto the frame for comfort. Every booming step was accompanied by a resounding creak from the floorboards and a jiggle from his near-naked body, butt swaying and belly patting against his thighs. By the time he reached the door, his flabby body had accumulated a slick shine of sweat, and his heavy chest heaved with exhausted breaths. This is going to take some getting used to… he thought, opening the door for his visitor. “Ten large pizzas for Kae-” James. The two stood, staring into eachother’s eyes, in complete shock. “Oh… my god… K-Kae? What happened to you? Are you okay?!” James blurted, rushing into the apartment, leaving the bag of pizzas in the hall. “Just… gained a little weight, is all.” he replied, putting his hands on his belly, the flabby pale flesh blushing pink like a christmas ham.   “B-But you were so thin! What happened?” “Well, I just decided to pack a bit on. Nothing else to it.” Kae shrugged, turning away. “It, um… it looks really cute on you.” James blushed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “You… really think so?” Kae looked back over his pudgy shoulder, whole body practically blushing. “Well, y-yeah… y-you want to, umm… well, do you want to get something to eat sometime?” James rushed, holding onto his hat like a life preserver. “Well, I do have ten pizzas now, don’t I? I could use a hand.” he purred, tugging on the sides of his waist band, the design pulling into a perfect heart between his huge cheeks. “…l-let me just call my boss.”

[ronaldmrashid]

A Severance Negotiation Success Story: An Inside Look At How One Man Negotiated His Freedom

The following is a guest post by Steve, a reader and a consulting client who is currently traveling the world with his family after a 20 year career in mass media. So many times we’re just too paralyzed to make a change because we just can’t see a path forward. It’s these stories that keep me so motivated!

As I write this, I’m sitting on a balcony sheltered by lush tropical leaves. I close my eyes to savor a gentle breeze that has just kicked up, caressing the trees and taking the sting out of another cloudless 95-degree day. I flick over to the Times to check out the latest on a monster winter storm that is shutting down the East Coast. Hmmm, maybe I should extend my time in Costa Rica to a third month.

Just a few months ago, I was one of those East Coast worker bees bracing for another winter of long commutes and office frustrations. But then something wonderful happened — I lost my job. Not in a careless or unfortunate way, but as the result of a deliberate, carefully considered strategy that took months to bear fruit in the shape of a six-figure redundancy package.

Two months on — as I spend my days here doing little more than reading, learning to surf, and exploring rock pools with my four-year-old daughter — I still have to pinch myself every time I see that another full paycheck has thumped into my bank account. And it horrifies me to think that I was on the verge of simply quitting.

My achievement owes a lot to Sam through his book How To Engineer Your Layoff and a subsequent phone session of one-on-one coaching. He suggested I write an account of how I did it – not to plug his services, but as a reminder to all you financially astute FS readers that you should NEVER, EVER quit a job and always try to negotiate a redundancy package, no matter how far-fetched it may seem to you.

My Why

It certainly seemed unlikely to me. Before I get into the nitty-gritty of how I did it, here’s a little background on my circumstances. I had been with my employer for close to 20 years, and overall it had been a very happy relationship. The job was high-profile, frequently stimulating and rewarding, and in a field of work that I loved and respected. It took me around the world, and the benefits were pretty good – by the end I had five weeks’ paid vacation a year, a salary north of $150,000, and was established as a senior employee whose work was highly valued.

But, increasingly, I couldn’t escape the reality that it just wasn’t capturing my imagination or making me as happy as it did in my 20s and 30s. In recent years I started to resent being tied to a desk in stuffy offices, ever more conscious that my time on this planet was finite and thus increasingly valuable — a feeling that was magnified by the birth of my daughter. Sam’s post on freedom vs. wealth sums up this tension that I and many others feel as we look to the second half of our lives.

I was harboring ambitions to take back control of my time and go freelance, even though I knew that – at least initially – I would probably only make about half my current salary and would lose valuable benefits like healthcare and 401k contributions. I seriously considered quitting but that seemed wasteful after putting in two decades of work, not to mention risky.

I knew that my employer – a big, multinational company – did periodically give out redundancy packages. Every 5-10 years there would be a big purge of employees when the company was going through a tough time or a restructuring. But in normal times, they were usually only offered to “underperformers” – a category that I was not in, despite my waning enthusiam for the work.

What I needed was the confidence to broach the subject with my managers and the know-how to make the most of any opportunity for a lay-off that emerged. Enter Sam. After devouring his book and having an hour-long follow-up with him, I finally had the confidence and a clear strategy.

Here’s How It Played Out

– First, I reached out to a few former colleagues who I knew had got redundancy deals to get a feel for how the process had worked for them. This gave me some insights into what was possible. A conversation I had with a former manager who himself had overseen many redundancies was particularly valuable, as he gave me the tip that there was usually some money left over at the end of the year to pay for packages.

– I had an initial conversation with a manager – not my immediate boss but someone who I knew was a bridge between HR and upper management and with whom I was on friendly terms. I immediately played my main card — that I wanted to have time off to spend time with a close relative who was in failing health. I asked this in an open, curious way, seeking to draw out what my options could be from the company’s point of view. A months-long leave of absence or working remotely were the main options we discussed. But since the conversation was going well, I decided to bring up redundancy at the end as an outcome that I could be “open to.” I put forth one idea for how that could benefit the company, by allowing them to move my headcount to a higher-priority business area. We agreed to talk again after she had discussed it with the higher ups.

– When we reconvened a week or so later, she laid out the options: the company was open to giving me a leave of absence of up to three months or to allow me to work remotely, but redundancy was off the table as that was usually reserved for underperformers and they “didn’t want to lose me.” I hid my disappointment and said I’d consider the other options.

– A month later, I’d heard nothing more and was becoming resigned to the failure of my plot. How stupid of me to have thought anyone would hand me a small fortune to walk away! Then, out of the blue, my contact called me into a conference room. “Would you still be interested in that third option we discussed?” she asked. “Umm, yeah I think so,” I replied, struggling to hide my excitement.

– The rest was pretty easy. I talked through the package with the head of HR – it was a standard, but relatively generous deal that gave me nearly a year’s salary plus continued healthcare for the whole period. Before I knew it I was heading for my farewell drinks, feeling very bitter-sweet about leaving great colleagues and an employer that I still felt a lot of loyalty toward.

Keys To Swinging A Severance Package

Based on my experience, here are some of the keys to swinging a redundancy package. Sam goes into these points – and many more – in much greater detail in his book.

Confidence. The first step is to really believe it’s possible. I really struggled to believe my company would do this for me and had long worried that it might adversely affect my standing with management if I tried and failed. But the truth is that in most cases you really have nothing to lose, and the chances of getting a deal are probably higher than you think once you start planting seeds of doubt in management’s mind about your commitment to the job.

It’s not personal. Again, this was a blockage for me. I’d been with my company for such a long time and generally been treated so well that it felt almost like an act of betrayal to angle for a “golden parachute” while I was still in my prime working years. Despite that emotional attachment, the cold truth is that my company – like all others – is overwhelmingly concerned with the bottom line and its reputation. It wouldn’t have hesitated to kick me to the curb in an instant if either of those were under threat. Also bear in mind that companies, especially larger ones, have a keen interest in making sure that employees leave on good terms and don’t start griping about its problems on social media or in the press. In the end, my departure was a win-win for my employer and me because it helped the company meet a budget and personnel goal without having to force redundancy on someone else.

Leverage the law, but don’t push it. By international standards, the U.S. is a very employer-friendly place when it comes to workers’ rights. But there are still some effective legal buttons that the canny redundancy seeker can push. In my negotiations, I steered clear of raising my right to family-related unpaid leave to avoid coming across as antagonistic. Just hinting that I knew my rights and being inquisitive about a leave of absence was enough. Few employers really like letting a worker take a prolonged leave as it tends to throw their plans into uncertainty.

Have a solid post-redundancy plan in place. Leaving a long-term job can be disorientating, even if it’s done on your own initiative. Taking a big vacation is, quite rightly, the first thing on many people’s mind. There are few things better – as I can now attest – than being paid to play on a gorgeous beach for weeks on end. But my experience is that after a while vacations can start to feel like work, especially when caring for a 4-year old is part of the package. And it isn’t long before some anxiety starts to creep in about the income cliff you are facing at the end of the redundancy period.

That’s why it’s important to have thought past your well-deserved break to your next move from a professional and financial perspective. In my case, I had amassed a solid amount of savings and established a passive income stream of over $35,000 a year (nearly half of my annual expenses), which gave me confidence that even in a worst-case scenario my family and I wouldn’t end up on the streets.

I’d also sounded out several contacts about freelance work, giving me confidence that I could at least get paid enough on a part-time basis to pay the bills. Between Costa Rica and Europe, I’m taking a three-month vacation — about a third of my total redundancy period — before returning home to seek new work prospects.

It’s early days and there are certainly some lingering fears I have about giving up a chunky salary and trying to reinvent myself. What if the stock market crashes and damages my nest egg? What if my family healthcare costs shoot up? What if my skills are not as marketable as I hope? But I firmly believe that our fears about financial failure tend to be overblown. Hell, if it comes to it I can always drive an Uber — or just move to Costa Rica!

We plan to work on trimming our expenses over the next year and investing more in real estate platforms to further narrow the income gap. If I can make just half my previous income and gain the flexibility to spend more time with family and friends by working remotely, I will consider the redundancy move a roaring success.

��� Steve

from http://www.financialsamurai.com/a-severance-negotiation-success-story/