The previous two posts
focused on how an employee and a supervisor should handle resignations. This one is for the teammates left behind…
Here we go. As if
life is not crazy enough, now everything at work is changing. Your teammate is leaving, rumors may be
flying and you have no idea what is going on.
How are you going to handle this?
Unfortunately many people in this situation jump right in
the churning waters. They join hushed
conversations filled with distorted facts, personal agendas and unfounded
fears. As if they were in a riptide, the
undercurrent drags them in deeper and deeper and they do not even realize
it. Their own personal job
dissatisfaction rises as their standards for work performance lowers. The career life becomes more and more
miserable and it impacts everything.
Why does it have to be that way?
Imagine a different approach. If someone leaves, even if we are close to
them, why can’t we just wish them well and say goodbye? Doing our best to avoid the hushed
conversations and not buy into the latest gossip would lead to……peace of
mind. Yes, peace of mind. The angst and chaos of rumors and exaggerated
facts would not matter. What matters is
the work you do, how you are personally treated and why this is the best career
option for you.
What if the concerns are real?!
Poor management happens and there may be real issues
which caused this departure. Again, it
is your choice how to handle it. Yes, a
choice. We choose to work where we
do. Really! We choose!
We choose to have the cars we drive, the homes we live in and all the
other financial choices we make that influences where we choose to work. Therefore, we have to remember that if the
scales tip and our quality of work life is so out of balance with our needs
than we must reassess our work choices.
Don’t throw the towel in too quickly, though. First, you need to talk to your direct
supervisor about your concerns. Prepare
yourself for this conversation. Make
your notes, think it through carefully and present the facts. If that doesn’t work, consider the next in
the direct chain of command or human resources or both. Try to take your emotions out of this and
approach the management in a calm, cool and collected manner. Hopefully you are in a progress organization
which embraces employee involvement and you are able to effect positive
change. If it doesn’t work out, then you
have to consider your next and best career options, plus you will refer back to the first blog in
this series for insight on how to separate from a company!
As was noted in the last two blog posts: Why should you care?
Your career is your reputation. If you get sucked into the undercurrent and
don’t handle these situations correctly, the poor reflection will be back on you
and it will affect your own future. As I
noted before, you never know when you will meet a past colleague or employer and
people do remember. Take ownership of your
own career and work life – do not get sucked into the undercurrent.
It isn’t easy but it is the right thing to do and don’t be
afraid to ask for guidance. RD Advisory
Group is here to help individuals as well as organizations. We can help you understand how to handle difficult
situations and how to find that balance of financial needs and work life
balance. Working with people on their
career paths is one of our areas of expertise so let us help you with that!
Now that this mini-series is over, please stay tuned for
more insights on careers, relationships and business life. As always, stay positive and the results will
amaze you!
Thank you for joining
me on this journey. Comments and questions are welcome. Please go to my webpage, www.rdadvisorygroup.com for more information on an assessment of
your current business functions. If you would like to read my previous blogging
efforts, please go to: www.managingbusinessacument@blogspot.com.