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Involuntary Exit

A Woman's Guide to Thriving After Being Fired

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

It can take less than a minute to get fired. Less than a minute to hear the words that change your life as you’ve known it. You’re stunned, shocked, humiliated—because your career has defined your life and you’ve been blindsided. You’re a company Loyalist with a capital L, and you’ve been sucker punched professionally. How do you even talk about this?

Countless books focus on leadership and resilience, but none of them take you through what actually happens to women leaders who are suddenly let go, or who endure untenable circumstances and ultimately fire themselves. None of them take you, step by step, through the emotional process of acceptance and beginning again. And that’s where Involuntary Exit comes in.

With advice for every unexpected twist, turn, and emotional trigger, this book is based on author Robin Merle’s experience at the top of billion-dollar organizations, as well as her interviews with accomplished women who were suddenly severed from their organizations and navigated their way back to success. The real-life examples she offers in these pages prove that you’re not alone—and that you, too, will get through this. Whether you’ve been fired or need to move on, Involuntary Exit will help you rediscover your value and emerge as a stronger leader on your own terms.

About The Author

Robin Merle has been a senior executive for billion-dollar organizations. She is a veteran of the power, value, and identity wars at the top ranks and has raised more than a half-billion dollars in philanthropy during her nearly forty years working with nonprofit organizations. She has served as a board member for three nonprofits in New York City, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, New York City Chapter; the New York Women’s Agenda; and Women In Development, New York (WID). She also has been a vice chair of National Philanthropy Day in New York. In 2017, she was named Woman of Achievement by WID for her leadership in fundraising and commitment to supporting women in the field. Robin is a frequent speaker at national conferences on fundraising and leadership. Her short fiction has been published in various literary magazines. Involuntary Exit is her first nonfiction book.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (October 18, 2021)
  • Length: 168 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647423100

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Raves and Reviews

2022 Nonfiction Book Awards Gold Winner

“The book is well written and fast-moving, treating a complex and emotionally charged subject with sensitivity. . . . Merle does a solid job of steering readers through a complex and challenging process.”
Kirkus Reviews

“A helpful business book that covers the opposite end of leadership and growth, Robin Merle’s Involuntary Exit is a must-read for career-driven people of all genders.”
Foreword Reviews, 5-stars

“Robin Merle’s Involuntary Exit is part survival guide and part group hug.”
—Danielle Dardashti, CEO of dash.

Involuntary Exit should be compulsory reading for women at the top of their professions—and all who are navigating upward.”
—Deb Taft, CEO of Lindauer Global

“This book will empower you to reclaim your personal value and give you the courage to create a positive future.”
—Lisa Marie Vasquez, Chief Experience Officer, INSiGHT CLA

“This is more than a book about working through an abrupt career change; it is a book that reminds you of your inherent value, your strengths, and your resources no matter where you’re at in life. As Robin beautifully reminds us, you are not alone.”
—Sara B. Weeks, Life Coach

“The wisdom contained in these pages will assist you on the most important journey of all: happiness.”
—Bob Cooper, author of Heart and Soul in the Boardroom

“Being savvy about being fired is an essential skillset you never knew you needed. Involuntary Exit is anecessary read for women in the development profession!”
—Yolanda F. Johnson, founder of Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy and president of Women In Development, New York

“I’m thrilled to be in this timeless book. May we all learn and listen to our instincts.”
—Laura Fredricks, JD, author of The Ask: For Business, For Philanthropy, For Everyday Living

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