Since I can’t say something nice, I’ll say it here
I’ve read two articles this week on what to do when one of your star team members resigns.
I wanted to forward it to a few of my former employers. Of course, the best workplace did right by me and tried every day through my 30-day notice period to keep me.
Looking around at the path my career has since taken, I almost wish they’d been successful.
It’s a timely topic, and one I’d write about on my profeshunal blog if I could just figure out the fucking FTP password. (I’ve tried everything. I give up.)
But since I can’t say something nice, I’ll say it here!
We had some people who could have been stars. And just “lost” them both.
I say “lost” lightly because there was a time period, I believe, where we could have engaged and saved them. There was also a time right before it when I thought they were worth saving and training and helping to shine.
We lost them somewhere. I think we should own part of that responsibility, yes, but I also see where they quit trying. While I understand why, I guess I look at myself and I wish they would have followed my own example. No matter how things got/get, I don’t stop doing my best.
Sure, some days I may want to punch everyone within a six-foot radius. But I also know that I’d rather have a day full of achievement rather than a day full of skirting responsibility. And when some folks felt they didn’t have to do what was asked of them or return my e-mails or basically treat me with anything but respect and reverence, well, good luck.
I always found myself in trouble for not delegating, or just focusing on getting my own massive load done and done correctly, when I hit my limit. Look, I got my ass handed to me by the Boob Twins for spending too much time trying to develop young talent that the bosses clearly just wanted to use to get their insatiable “firing high.” In trying to keep everyone else on the payroll, I put myself right into their firing range.
Surely, I’d thought, they couldn’t lose someone as valuable as me. Riiiiiiiight. Surely a vampire has to get tired of drinking blood, yes? Puh-leeze.
Frankly I’m happy for the changing dynamic. Of course, I worry that the next one will create more problems than he or she solves. But I hope this is an opportunity to find the right fit and the right person to keep spirits up and momentum intact.
Of course, when even the people you’re happy to see go, well, go, I think back to the article about when star players leave. What happens when the star players aren’t the ones leaving and it’s everyone ELSE who’s moving up in the world? How do you handle morale then … especially your own?