It is rare for a leader to spend their entire working life in one organisation anymore, so it is highly likely that you will leave multiple organisations throughout your career. Over the past 25 years working in HR, headhunting and executive career coaching I have witnessed hundreds of leaders leaving roles and have seen an enormous variety in how well people have managed it. I imagine you have seen the same.
Someone asked me for my tips for transitioning to a new role recently, and we had a discussion which prompted this blog. Often people leap straight to ‘what should I do to land well in my first quarter in the new role’ (which is also very important) without first considering the here and now. So here are some things to consider when you are exiting an organisation to leave with your relationships and reputation not just intact, but enhanced:
- Aim for the best, plan for the worst. Before you resign, gather all your personal items and things you wouldn’t want to be without. Save any phone numbers from your work phone. Get a personal phone if you don’t have one. I’ve seen leaders be immediately escorted off work premises and their pass and IT access locked. This is a rare occurrence, but you know your organisation culture and have seen how previous leavers have been managed, so plan accordingly. If you work in a fee earning role and are moving to a competitor, it is highly likely you will be placed on garden leave.
- Balance honesty and diplomacy. There is a difference between being honest and being 100% transparent. Don’t let your judgement fly out of the window just because you are leaving. There is no need to share everything you think about everyone else. More frequently than you might imagine, the difficult stakeholder you were pleased to leave behind pops up in your new organisation due to consolidation in the market. Before you say anything, consider if you would be comfortable with it if they end up being a stakeholder again due to a merger. Don’t burn your bridges, or as my friend Mary Barrett says, ‘close doors quietly’.
- Proactively manage the relationships that matter to you. Consider who you want to keep in touch with and be deliberate about planning to reconnect. Think wider than your close work friends, to include people you have mentored, senior stakeholders you’ve had a strong professional relationship with and anyone you would love to work with again in the future. Don’t make the mistake of focusing all your time and energy on your new organisation and letting strong relationships lapse. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
- Do more than is expected. Offer to work an appropriate proportion of your notice. Plan a thorough handover and don’t leave your colleagues or team in the lurch. Think about what you want to be known for and how you want your colleagues to talk about you after you’ve departed. Plan your actions with this in mind. The more senior you become, the more ‘informal’ referencing happens by headhunters speaking to people who have worked with you, even years later, regardless of whose name you give as formal referees. It’s sensible to remember this at all times.
- Thank your team publicly as well as privately. Write a LinkedIn post and give praise where it’s due and thanks to those you are grateful for. You will have had a wider impact than you realise. Individuals you have supported will look up to you and will be impacted by your departure. Of course, manage the timing and messaging suitably. This is a great example of a leaving post.
- Update your LinkedIn profile. Capture your ‘best bits’ from your time in the organisation while it is fresh in your mind. Reword your ‘About’ summary to focus on what’s next, whether that’s speaking to your new stakeholders and team if you are moving on to a new position, or thinking about how you want to position yourself with headhunters and your network, if you are taking a break.
- Expect to feel emotional. Even if the move is a positive step, and it is your choice, you will be stepping into the change curve (which is essentially the grief cycle). Take time to reflect and acknowledge what you are feeling. The Feelings Wheel – a tool that lists 114 emotions – can help you recognise and articulate what you’re experiencing. My earlier blog goes into this in more detail and shares ways you can manage this.
How you manage your exit is part of your leadership legacy. Stay true to your values and plan time to create a structured plan before resigning.
Read my earlier blog Why we can grieve for a job loss before it’s even happened