A Call to Action for Global Development Professionals
There was never a better time for you to be laid off. Why?
This is a very tough week for people in development. Many have been laid off, let go, or furloughed. You might be so shocked about how it happened, you aren’t even thinking about next steps. First, if you are, check out Amy Leo’s guidance on processing what has happened.
But, through this bewildering haze, I actually want to suggest congratulations are in order. Yes, congratulations. Most people are laid off alone, but you were set free with a cadre of brilliant, adaptive, and creative people. You’ve just been given an opportunity that few people ever get—a chance to harness the power of collective action like never before.
Layoffs in global development are unprecedented at this scale. You’re not alone—an estimated 50,000 talented, driven professionals are facing the same crossroads, and that is American citizens alone. This is not just a crisis—it’s an opportunity. The sheer number of professionals experiencing the same transition means there has never been a better time to bring people together around shared purpose and achieve more together than any of us could alone.
I was laid off from a Fortune 500 company about 12 years ago, when it let go about a third of its workforce. Like most people in this situation, I navigated it alone for a while, but I then found a group of people I would regularly meet with to talk about our job hunt, and that eventually led to my next role. That approach was useful, but given our current moment, we have more to leverage.
Since just so many people have been laid off, we are in a unique position. Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked in co-creation. At its core, co-creation is about coming together with people who each have their own skills, insights, and expertise, and leveraging that to design solutions strategically. They may all have different reasons or objectives for being involved, but they work together to design better solutions–better than designing alone.
This is your moment to build or join a Phoenix Team—a strategic, mission-driven group of professionals committed to rising from the ashes, stronger and more purposeful than before. This summary is meant to serve as a resource for you, in case you would prefer
What is a Phoenix Team?
A Phoenix Team is a flexible, intentional group of professionals who come together to support one another through career transitions and/or collaborate on launching something new. It can take different forms depending on the needs and aspirations of its members. Some Phoenix Teams focus on helping individuals navigate their next steps—sharing job leads, refining resumes, and providing encouragement. Others work together to build new initiatives, launch companies, or drive impact-driven projects. Many teams do both.
At its core, a Phoenix Team is about strategic collaboration—whether that means mutual career support, co-founding a venture, or shaping the next generation of impact-driven work together. You may have heard about a mastermind group or a personal advisory board. These are great, and you should absolutely consider developing them. The difference here is the approach–instead of advancing the personal growth of an individual (like a PAB) or a specific group (like the mastermind group), the Phoenix Team establishes structured shared objectives that everyone wants to pursue, and then figures out how to move forward with those objectives as a group.
In a Phoenix Team, you:
Leverage collective intelligence to explore new opportunities
Create strategic momentum toward meaningful goals
Support each other through a structured, intentional process
Rebuild with purpose, whether that means finding the right job, launching a new venture, or pioneering systemic change
Right now, you might not even know what the next step should be. Why not explore that with others? Some people might look to a phoenix team to look for employment together. Some may want to think through something larger, like starting a company or exploring new areas of interests. Each phoenix team determines what its focus is. You are not just another job seeker. You are a problem-solver, a leader, and an innovator. But right now, the people around you are as well.
If you’ve ever wished that job searching or career reinvention had the structure, focus, and collaborative energy of a mission-driven project—this is your chance to make it happen.
How to Form Your Phoenix Team
You don’t need permission. You don’t need funding. You just need the right people and a clear sense of purpose.
Identify Potential Teammates:
Look through your network. Who do you trust? Who do you respect? Who do you want to build with?
Phoenix teams should be no larger than about 5 or 6 people. Critical roles on the Phoenix Team are that of coordinator/convener and facilitator. Strong Phoenix Teams should share these roles–the responsibility should rotate. We’ll share tools for managing the group in an upcoming post.
Don’t just go for people who do what you do—seek complementary skills and perspectives.
Reach out via social media, LinkedIn, and industry groups. Try something like:“I’m looking to form a Phoenix Team of driven professionals committed to [shared purpose]. If you’re interested in working together to strategically navigate our next steps, let’s connect!” In fact, you can tag me in your post if you like and I can try to connect you.
If you like, also consider posting your Phoenix Group search in this link.
Establish Your Common Mission:
Your team doesn’t have to share the exact same career goals, but you should identify a core overlap—your "Venn diagram of purpose."
Examples of common missions:
Find new roles that align with purpose and values
Launch innovative social enterprises
Influence policy or civic change
Advance a specific area of research
Structure Your Work Together:
Approach this like a project kickoff, not just a casual meetup.
Set regular check-ins and agendas:
What progress has been made?
What needs to be done?
What’s delaying progress, and how can we fix it?
Hold design sessions, networking workshops, skill-building meetups, and collaborative strategy sessions.
Share your resources in an easily accessible location, such as a Google Drive or other platform
Meet with Intentionality:
Your first meeting will feel weird. That’s normal. Push through it.
Resist the urge to just chat—act like you’re running a strategic initiative. It is the most strategic initiative you have.
Define clear action steps, assign roles, and set timelines.
Building Without Financial Resources
One of the greatest myths of starting something new is that you need significant financial resources. The truth is, some of the most impactful initiatives have been built through collaboration, shared skills, and strategic bootstrapping. While money can accelerate progress, the real power comes from people—their expertise, networks, and ability to execute.
Your Phoenix Team may not have capital, but what you do have is intellectual capital and human resources. Some members bring industry knowledge, others bring connections to decision-makers, and still others bring technical skills that can turn ideas into reality. By leveraging these non-financial assets, your team can move forward without waiting for funding.
Bootstrapping is about making the most of what you have—whether it’s using free tools, bartering skills, or tapping into your collective networks to gain access to opportunities. Rather than looking at what’s missing, focus on what’s available and take creative action to build momentum. The best part? You’re not doing it alone—you have a team committed to pushing forward together.
The Future is Ours to Build
This is a moment of transformation.
You can spend the next few months reacting to the crisis—or you can take control, build something powerful, and maybe turn this challenge into an opportunity!
The world needs your expertise. It needs your leadership. And it needs bold, innovative teams that don’t just survive—but thrive in the face of adversity.
So what’s next? Start reaching out. Find your Phoenix Team. Set your mission. And let’s rise, together.
This is the first in a series on Phoenix Team collaboration. More guidance will be coming!
Special thanks to Samantha Levine-Finley and Sarah Nehrling (facilitators extraordinaire) for their helpful recommendations on this summary!
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