Offboarding and endings

A good exit is crucial to a fresh and solid start. This early career learning still rings true for me. The list below is not exhaustive, but it does hold the things that I’m thinking about as I exit Wake Forest University after 23 years.

First, clean up after yourself. A move is a great excuse to get rid of unnecessary items. Think carefully about what you are taking into your new space and leaving behind for others to manage. It’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on what this recent part of your career has meant and how you want to make meaning moving forward.

Second (using Google terminology) transfer ownership. Make a clean handoff of projects and artifacts others will need when you are gone. Do this early enough that people have an opportunity to ask you about what they are looking at before you leave.

Third, give people (and yourself) an opportunity to say goodbye. This has been hard for me, but I know it’s important. I am grateful for the many congratulatory emails, texts, and colleagues who have stopped by my office or in the hall. I have tried to respond back with memories of important moments we’ve spent together. All the conversations over the years (even when they were uncomfortable) have had a HUGE impact on who I am as a person and how I will show up as the CHRO at Elon University.

Fourth, don’t take it personally. If you are taking the above-listed steps as you exit, then you will need to recognize that people start moving on or shifting their conversations as soon as they know you are leaving. This is not just common; it is necessary. Let them when it’s hard and encourage them when it’s harder. It is not a measure of your importance but a recognition that the work will continue without you.

Finally, be good to yourself in the transition. It’s okay (and possible) to be excited and sad at the same time, but managing all the emotions and other activities can be exhausting. Allow yourself the space you need to recover and keep going.

Thank you to my colleagues in the Professional Development Center for giving me the opportunity to signoff in this meaningful way!

Continue your professional development with the PDC:

Visit us online at pdc.wfu.edu.

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There are 2 courses for February:

• PDC In Person: Enhancing Your Feedback Skills
• PDC In Person: Building a Feedback Culture (for people managers/supervisors only)

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William (Bill) Gentry (gentrywa@wfu.edu) – Director of the PDC and Learning & DevelopmentMissy Campbell (campbem@wfu.edu) – Manager, Learning & Development