Resign, But Don't Say Goodbye

In my time at Blueprint Software Systems I have had the opportunity to close millions of dollars in business. I led teams that delivered enterprise solutions to tens of thousands. Blueprint provided the opportunity to work with brilliant people at many of the Fortune 100. My colleagues and I laboured tirelessly to ensure that we were the little software company that could be a true partner to organizations a thousand times our size. All of these things and more made my recent decision to resign all the harder.

I have always found it hard time to say goodbye.

It is not finding the right words; they have always come easily. The decision to break up relationships built over years is what hurts. For my own part it feels as if I set a saw to my good right arm and said, “Now cut it off.” Intellectually I know it is not that drastic. It is easier than ever to stay in touch with the people I have worked with. Might Kieran Gobey and I have the chance to debate what Agile method will solve a top 10 world bank’s problem again? Could Rob Elwell and I gleefully exchange profanities as we struggle to shift thousands of people into new and unfamiliar ways of thinking and working once more? Will Jamie Creed and I defy thelimitations of remote working to jointly deliver a resounding success in the future? Maybe, but the odds are not in our favour.

You cannot set foot in the same river twice.

Over the past twenty years I have only been reunited with an old colleague at a new company once. Jim Roper joined me at Blueprint after we both worked at Mackenzie Investments. We may never get the chance again, and the record of our time together will be reduced to a few words in a blogpost. Is it any wonder saying goodbye is hard? That said, we should do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. We also need to do hard things the right way.

Run to something, not from it.

Every job has its frustrations. There will be people you struggle to work with. You won’t get the promotion you hoped for. I once worked over a year to influence a change of course by my superior, only to have them replaced, and start over at square zero. If you leave because of these things you may very well find your new job is the same old job with the same old problems. It is better by far to stand up and try to change what is wrong where you are than run away from it. If you are going to move, your new position should not be a rejection of the old, but an embrace of the new.

Work hard until the last seconds on the clock run out.

Just because you have resigned does not mean your work is done. You will usually be there for at least a couple more weeks. Even if you put ribbons and bows on everything the day you hand in your resignation letter, you must find something else to do. I closed a six figure deal with my offer letter ready for signature, traveled to participate in annual planning after I resigned, and prepared presentations for Blueprint’s annual kickoff on my last day. Remember, remember, people remember how you finished, not how you started.

Be grateful for the opportunities you had.

Every position has opportunities, even if they were not the ones you expected. While sales of ideas and products has always been an aspect of the roles I have played, I never viewed myself as a salesman. When Claytie Moorman made commissioned sales a primary part of my job it was a challenge. She also provided the opportunity and support that allowed me to excel in it. I also appreciated the opportunity to work more closely with the sales team. Thanks to working closely with people such as Gary Jackiewicz, Chris Bunn, and Ken Kane I now have a far greater appreciation of what they do and the skill it takes to be successful influencing others. This is just one example. When you leave make sure you look back and let people know how they helped you grow. Your gratitude is the foundation for whatever relationship you will share in the years to come.

The relationships will be the only thing that lasts.

Companies come and go. Only 12% of the originalFortune 500 are still on the list. Jobs change. People move for a multitude of reasons. If you say good bye and walk away the time you spent will be gone. On the other hand, lay a strong foundation and keep in touch with the people who have touched you and it will have been worth every second.

What do you think?