Let Them Go With a Smile on Their Face.
After employing–and saying farewell to—hundreds of people over the past two decades, my list of apologies could go on forever. But one thing is certain: I never want to add anyone to this list again. And if you’re in any type of leadership position, you should keep your apology list short, too.
For most of my life as an entrepreneur I got angry when employees resigned. I felt betrayed, broken up with. I seethed about losing a colleague who knew my complete strategy, my darkest fears, and my many weaknesses. How could they just take off, cast my company and me aside, and think about some new professional relationship to make work-love to?
When I felt rejected I turned against departing employees. Early in the history of Revenge started when a key employee gave notice. I was bitter and frustrated and responded as many do: I started treating him like an outsider, re-crafted his image to the rest of the organization (“actually he wasn’t great at…”), and began the process of working around him. Within two weeks, the divide was huge; we exchanged half-hearted goodbyes and he left with a shrug. And even though today we still share similar interests and are active in the same business communities, we don’t have a relationship. Indeed, we hardly speak. (To Deepak : I really valued those early days when you were one of the first-ever believers in our vision. Thanks for inspiring me way back then.)
A “bad break up” with an employee is a huge mistake. The one who leaves and the one who is left both must understand that the emotions at the time of departure—the frustration about mistakes that were made, the disagreements over strategy, and the heated debates won’t mean much in a short time. Bad memories will fade. What remains is a bond from shared experiences.
It wasn’t until I'd left my Company that I realized how deeply these relationships mattered. I told my subordinate that we should have one last celebration with everyone who helped impact the business. He politely informed me that many people might not show up, as some are still disappointed and bitter about how they were treated when they shoved off. It was then that I thought of all the relationships that were lost as employees left. I vowed then to handle departures differently. I decided to maintain bonds instead of breaking them and it became clear to me that staying connected to former employees is more important now more than ever. Here’s why:
- We are infinitely connected in a social world.
- Former employees provide invaluable perspective.
- Monogamy in corporate India is dead.
Now, more than ever, departing employees should be treated with care and respect. When they leave, bosses should thank them for their time and their contributions. In fact, a company’s relationship with corporate alums should be fostered, beginning at the moment that you decide to stop working together. It doesn’t matter who makes that decision. If handled appropriately, relationships with former employees can be a source of immense, incredible benefits for both parties.
Some very smart companies figured out the value of maintaining connections to former employees long ago. Open Market—one of Boston’s high flyers in the late ‘90s—has an alumni group lists where people seek advice, share job openings, and create new relationships. Procter & Gamble famously hosts a big splashy event for their alumni every year—and you can’t get in unless you worked at a certain level at P&G, which makes it all that more exclusive and special. IBM, too, is known to go to lengths to make sure its former employees remain fans.
Just a few months ago, another key employee gave notice. But this time—with the historical knowledge in hand of nearly 300 employees coming and going—it was different. First, I congratulated him on what would likely be an exciting career move and expressed how much I appreciated everything he did for us. We then worked together to craft a really solid transition plan, including to whom, and when we would announce his departure. And in the time between his notice and his exit, we didn’t ostracize him—rather, we worked in unison to achieve the goals we’d laid out together. Ultimately, we threw him a party and we bought him a bottle of Finest wine to celebrate our appreciation for the value he provided us. By the time he left, our relationship may have been stronger than any time during our previous three years working together.
