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.  For more information on an assessment of your current business functions visit our Services page.

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