Closure : Bidding Adieu To a Team

It is hard to say goodbye easily when you have built and led a team over a long period of time, like I have at Persistent.

So, when I said goodbye to my Silicon Valley team @ Persistent last week, there were many emotions that floated through my mind. Some of the experiences shared by the team at a warm farewell at the office and then at the rather rambunctious party at a bar that evening were touching. Even more touching were the heartfelt thank you and warm feelings shared one on one over emails and in conversations that transpired over the last week and this weekend.

One of the pictures shared in one such email is above the title of this post - which is that of a Guru (teacher) and a Shishya (student) - and I am openly, emotionally, touched by the thought of having been that teacher to one of the best students one could have.

And to think that I had initially wanted to stay away from any farewell party, until a dear colleague made me aware that, it wasn't my choice, it was an express process of "closure" that was going to be good for all - and how right she was! The student has actually turned into the teacher!

I could not help myself from expressing these thoughts in a post here, because to me they were a lesson in leadership, equanimity and emotional quotient (EQ) development in times of stress induced by a decision to part ways.

The easy part is hearing good things said about you and memories of shared good times; hard fought customer wins; squabbles and debates over strategy, plans, team structure, processes; travelogues, events, parties; counseling/advice that was taken and went well; introspection and as my Agile guru calls it, "retrospectives" on things gone south etc. The hard part is knowing that you took some decisions as a leader that were decidedly wrong, and others that you took with company interest in mind first, the team next and the individual team member the very last. Remembering and acknowledging those to such team members is hard, in part because of the admission of the turmoil of leadership decision making, and in part because explanations do not provide any relief to the affected individual, nor does it put money back in their pockets!

But be acknowledged they must, because "real" closure is achieved only through such acknowledgement. To me the final closure was this short video that my team shared after I had left them that evening, and that is that!