Of all the different communities you will encounter in your life, the one you’ll end up spending the most time with, funnily enough, is your professional community. So it should come as no surprise that stepping away from one work community to embrace another is harder than it looks — it’s a lot like breaking up.
The other day, I resigned from a radio station I’d been with for two years — not that long in the scheme of things but long enough to have developed roots and real connections with my co-workers. I’ve come to a point in my life where I need to shut one door so another one can open. That’s pretty much how I see the universe operating.
The company I’m leaving is small and operates like a close-knit family. Looking back, I might have done a few things differently when I told them I was leaving, but there were a few points I think I got right and here they are:
“This hurt be pain’in me”
TALK TO SOMEONE YOU TRUST AND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOUR BOSS BEFORE HAND
One of the best things I did before dropping the news was talk with a co-worker I trust about what I planned to do. My co-worker was able to help me choose the right words and body language. It’s a small company and everyone is affected when management is under pressure to replace someone quickly so it was in her interest that the news goes down as smoothly as possible. That said, I wouldn’t share your plans with more than one, perhaps two people, tops. Imagine your boss getting wind of your departure before you mention anything – brutal!
“Breaking up’s hard to do”
DON’T GO IN THERE WITH ANY ILLUSION – IT’S GOING TO BE HARD
Chances are, the news is going to come as a surprise to your boss and everyone handles surprises differently (unless you’re a cog in a massive company – it might not matter so much, then.) Your employer may be emotional or even confrontational. Be prepared and stick to a script. Acknowledge what they say to you. If you need an out because the heat is coming on too strong, suggest they take some time to absorb the news and arrange to meet again the next day, or even next week.
“We’re all friends ‘round these parts”
LEAVE A GOOD IMPRESSION AND MAKE SURE YOUR WORDS COME FROM AN HONEST PLACE
Share with your boss the positive impact they’ve had on your career (for some people this might be a stretch – do your best to search out a few key points.) Your boss is human and chances are, they’ll need a little stroking before bouncing back and putting on that “HR hat”, at least, that’s how my boss described it.
I’m happy to report that it’s been almost a week and things have settled down here at work. I have the full support of my station and I feel as though I’m leaving on a high note — it doesn’t get much better than that, does it?