Leading Your Exit Strategy

“No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.”

- George Washington Carver 

Leading through transitions is an opportunity to excel and I frequently encourage clients to read The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins, a great resource for leaders assuming a new role.  What about your last 90 days, leaving a role or organization for a new opportunity?

The legacy you leave is your reputation – a career asset to be carefully protected.  Departing with character includes completing your obligations and maintaining key relationships moving forward.  The solution is having a clear exit strategy to benefit the organization and yourself.

I learned a painful lesson when I was brought on to replace an ambitious individual who had been recently promoted.  He had been very focused on pleasing our senior executive and he neglected his peer group.  His peers perceived him as dismissing their importance and not being a team player.  As a result, his peers were very skeptical of me and I realized my top priority was to build relationships.  My list of ideas to improve the department would have to wait.  The primary lesson I learned was a smooth transition between leaders involves working together to promote a mutually beneficial exit strategy.

Three keys to an effective exit strategy:

Finish Strong
Once you announce you are leaving, others will understand change is underway and you will be juggling multiple roles.  Identify two or three obligations you can complete by your transition date.  Your commitment will enable your leadership team to have a succession plan.  Completing these obligations gives you a sense of accomplishment, builds a positive reputation, and sustains key relationships moving forward.

Gratitude
As we leave opportunities, we realize all the individuals who have helped us along the way.  The irony is these individuals have always supported us – and sometimes their importance is finally realized when we depart.  Take the time to say thanks and be specific as to how they helped you grow.

Running Start 
A great way to promote a seamless transition is to prepare your replacement - providing a running start.  Many of us eagerly begin new roles and we are stuck in uncertainty.  You can provide a running start by sharing important job duties, people insights, and potential office politics challenges to make their first day a productive day.  Your replacement will be very appreciative and becomes a valuable member of your network.

We all want to leave opportunities in a better place than when we arrived.  Finish strong, express gratitude, and provide your replacement a running start.  Your reputation will be the wind at your back as you move forward to new opportunities.