Rumor is not data
Treat hallway panic as weather, not weather reports. Ask what is known, who said it, and what would falsify it.
Layoff Rumor Room
Four short workplace rumor scenarios. Pick the calmest, smartest move each time. Get a Signal Discipline score, a 72-hour action plan, and a local copy — no login, no forms, no tracking, nothing saved on a server.
Scenario 1 of 4
Slack side-channel
Your coworker DMs: “Heads up… I think reorg means cuts.”
You have zero official confirmation. Your pulse is doing parkour. What do you do first?
Feedback
Stay useful at work
Quiet excellence beats doom-scrolling Slack. Document wins, keep relationships warm, and avoid becoming the rumor amplifier.
Warm the outside options
Update materials, reconnect with two trusted humans, and line up conversations before you need a parachute sale.