The Art of Finishing Well

Let's face it. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Maybe it was an odd fit to begin with. Maybe too much has changed along the way. Maybe you've grown apart, don't see eye to eye anymore and attempts at remedying the situation haven't worked.

Regardless, you know one thing for certain . . . it's time to separate.

No, I'm not talking about your dating or marriage life (thank goodness). I'm talking about your current or recent position of employment.

Whether you just found out your position is no longer funded or needing you to fill it or you are making the decision to take your talents to another available position or career, you should aim to finish well.

Work can be an emotional playground mixing the stressors of time, money, expectations and human frailty. Without a corporate culture committed to proactively identify, gauge and remedy job-related stress, negative emotions can permeate a workplace.

Rarely do expressed negative emotions equate to a healthy environment, productivity and success. There is a lot of attention, time and money spent these days on the education, development and application of emotional intelligence to the workplace in order to help channel negative emotions into constructive actions.

Here are a few things to consider to ease the transition for you and others.

Don't Create Drama

If you are let go, your reaction, your attitude, words and actions toward those making the decision can determine whether or not you are granted additional runway to find a new position, severance and possible contract-work or rehiring.

Unresolved conflict with co-workers and managers is an area for you to tread lightly and should involve you at your best, not your worst. You certainly don't want to create fresh negative emotions to carry into your upcoming search, interviews and new position. Most likely, your paths will wind up crossing again due to life events, social media, common contacts, or even through unexpected channels.

It's best not to go nuclear. Before making a dramatic Jerry McGuire-style exit or deciding to clean a fish on a TPS report, demonstrate you still have a good grip on the situation and your ability to handle it, whether voluntary or not.

Don't Create Uncertainty

Whether leaving the position voluntarily or involuntarily, keep in mind those remaining. While it may be tempting to openly share your opinions on management, a certain co-worker or how to do things better going forward, your soon-to-be former fellow co-workers are probably dealing with a lot of uncertainty about your departure or perceived additional departures.

These are people you stood toe-to-toe with against some tall tasks. Be kind knowing that you leaving may cause unforeseen challenges for them. Gossiping doesn't help them and creates more uncertainty.

It may make you feel good to unload, but does it help others? Demonstrate your kindness to those still tasked with the company's goals and objectives.

Don't Withhold Knowledge

If you decided to move on and have a new position waiting for you, it's easy to want to skip ahead and devote your mind to what is upcoming.

If you know your position is going away and you've been given some runway to find a new position, congratulations. Not everyone receives that gift. However, this does put you in a state of limbo. You will be thinking about your next opportunity while you have duties you are responsible for carrying out, even though you will not be part of the broader picture.

You may find it easy to want to check out mentally, however, you are still responsible for your duties. If handing over knowledge is one of those duties, resist the urge to mail it in when sharing information on how you performed your job to those responsible for taking over your responsibilities.

You never know the degree of how a little bit of knowledge share will help someone and how that may return back to you tenfold if you demonstrate your generosity.

Do Express Gratitude

You've learned along the way. You've invested your time, energy and talents along with a group of people who did the same. You were also paid for your role and were able to provide for you and/or your family.

On top of that, you probably made some friends, developed some good relationships with vendors and clients, and did some purposeful work along with your co-workers.

Let those you worked with know how they positively impacted you, even if you have to dig deep to find something to share. Think about the time, energy and talent they have to bring each day in the framework of the difficulties they may face, whether known or unknown. Demonstrate empathy.

There's a lot to be thankful for.

Finishing Well = Starting Well

Though your time at your current workplace is ending or has ended, you will start again somewhere else or start something else. The company you join or the company you start will welcome your emotional intelligence.

Staving off any negative emotional aspects of leaving your current/recent place of employment takes time and effort but there are benefits.

You will find it's better to travel light toward that destination without carrying unnecessary emotional baggage.

If you find yourself in one of these situations today, are you finishing well?