You thought you had built an outstanding team...BUT
... Your heart sinks when you hear them saying:
"I want to quit!"
You feel betrayed. You remember all times when you went the extra mile to help this person.
Maybe you they were just promoted. Or, you just returned from an offsite event, happy that you finally had the opportunity to build team cohesion.
Or, maybe you just gave this person a raise (in fact I did this quite a number of years ago; I left my job right after a significant salary raise).
So how do we handle this? What do we do when a direct report resigns?
Here are the 5 steps Guide:
1) Don't react on impulse. You feel you earned every right to do it but don't go there! It may bite you later...
2) Don't treat the situation as a personal affront. It's about them not about you.
3) Ask the key questions: Why? What can we do to keep you? Are you sure it's a step forward for your career? (use the 7 questions model to help the person get more insight on their decision; see my previous LinkedIn post).
4) Keep the door open for a possible return (+25% of those who left regret the decision, according to Bloomberg)
5) Negotiate a clear separation plan. You need the input of the departing colleague until the last day (sometimes even after). You need all hands on deck as long as possible.
A new hire may start later than you expect.
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Recap:
Learning someone in your team wants to leave is always difficult.
You need to put on the best version of yourself to deal with this.
Here is a 5-step guide to help go through this situation:
-Do not react on impulse
-Do not take it personally
-Ask all the key questions
-Always keep the door open for a possible return
-Negotiate a clear separation plan. A new hire may take longer than expected
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Your true measure as a Leader is the quality of your team!
If time is of the essence, book a call here!
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