Tips for Moving On
Difficult topics are often the most valuable ones to address, and few things are tougher than leaving a job and keeping relationships intact. But when you know it's time to go, there's a good way to handle it. Let’s see how to take care of business without burning any bridges.
Letting Go Gracefully
We’ve all reached that point when it was time to leave a job, whether a better one came along or we just needed a change. And if you’re in a leadership role, you’ve probably also had the challenging experience of having someone move on. Whether you’re doing the leaving or helping with the transition, let’s discuss a few ways to keep that bridge unburned.
Respect the chain of command
You might want to announce your imminent departure to friends, but things can get messy if the word gets out. You need to tell your leadership first, and then share with others.
Give notice
Leaving is one thing, but leaving your team in a lurch is another. Always give enough notice, ideally two weeks, for them to get started replacing you. If you’re in a leadership position, more is better.
Get organized
You don’t want your replacement to have a steeper learning curve than necessary. Make sure everyone involved has status updates on your projects before you go, and leave files organized in a sensible way.
Be graciouS
Send a farewell message to your coworkers. Chances are they’ve helped you out at least a few times. It's the right thing to do, plus you never know when you’ll need a reference or see someone again at another company.
Remember to be kind
Once you’re gone from a job, especially one that doesn’t look so great in hindsight, it’s tempting to blast them on social media or in person. You should probably give it some time before sharing anything online, and when you do keep it fact-based and as objective as you can.
This is without a doubt one of the hardest topics to deal with in your professional life, but when you’re leaving a job behind the separation needs to be done with grace and consideration for others.
There you have it, everything you need to know about leaving a job without hurting your team (okay, not really, but this should be a good start). Next time you find yourself in a situation where you or someone else is leaving their job, remember that you can make the transition easier for everyone.