Job exit communications in the time of Social Media

I left a job that I loved at a company that I loved. Personal reasons prompted me to make a departure.  After working through the emotional and logistics of leaving were being sorted out I found myself thinking about the best way to communicate this decision.




Here is the communication strategy that I used:

- Conversation with my supervisor

• Followed by an official letter of resignation expressing my thanks for the opportunity to work with him the past several years.

- Announcement during a staff meeting notifying to my peers

• I had a set of talking points, expressing my thanks, sadness to be leaving, and some general next steps for the transition, including the next few parts of how we were going to communicate. 

- Teams meeting with my staff and leadership volunteers

• I had a set of talking points, expressing my thanks, sadness to be leaving, and some general next steps for the transition, including the next few parts of how we were going to communicate. 

- E-mail announcement to the company from my supervisor

• Where he thanked me for my service and announced the interim who would be transiting with me.
• Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual e-mails from your co-workers. 

- 3 days before my final day, I put up an auto-response in my e-mail letting people know I was departing and who would be acting in my role after my departure.

- 2 days before my final day, I sent out an e-mail to my team thanking them for incredible work experience, sharing my persona information, and thanking the individual who was stepping in to act in my role during hiring.

• To my coworkers, x-number years ago, when I joined the company name, I saw the volunteer mission in action though our front-line members and knew I had joined an extraordinary organization. X-number years ago, I came into the current position where everyone of you is living the values of our mission, doing the work of 10 people every day, and knew I was in an extraordinary department. During my time in the department we have delivered the company mission with compassion, client focus and care. We have set a standard of exceptionalism that is highlighted with sparkle and sunshine I owe a tremendous thank you to each of you for the privilege to be the current position in department these past x-number years. Working with each of you has been a highlight of my career. I will always be part of the company family and look forward to joining our volunteer workforce in the future. I am grateful interim successor name has agreed to pause his current job title duties to serve as the interim current position, continuing to support each of you as we move our mission forward. As I move into this next chapter in my life, I truly hope that we will stay in touch. My personal contact information is: cell, e-mail & LinkedIn I would like to leave you with one final quote from Harriet Tubman. “Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Sincerely, My full name
• Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual contacts on your personal and work accounts from your co-workers. 

- 1 week after I departed (once I saw my position was being posted for recruitment), I posted notification on LinkedIn and Facebook.

• Month and Year marks the end of my chapter with the Company and the department. Delivering humanitarian aid on the frontlines of climate change in America has been an intensely rewarding experience, beyond any that I could have imagined. I am grateful for the Company family whom I have had the opportunity to work alongside over the past x-number years. As I depart from my role as the current role, I continue to have a quote from Harriet Tubman echo in my mind that captures the mission delivered and the mission delivery ahead. “Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
• Be prepared to spend 1-2 hours each day for the next 3 days responding to individual contacts from across your networks. 

Adventure to suburban parks

Urban living is wonderful for so many reasons. As we are three months into COVID19 I have found myself interested in a slice of suburban life.

Today I had the chance to spend a very pleasant hour and a half exploring the William Ives Trail and Meridian Neighborhood Park.



This slice of nature set between suburban neighborhoods has the suburban quiet, a steady set of walkers, well-behaved dogs, and youth on bicycles roaming along the unpaved paths.

Its a journey from Seattle (45min + one way) but the change in pace is a nice variety to days in the city.

In addition to the walking trails, the park has a nice playground area(not accessible), a large field, and a pavilion with picnic tables to round out your park visit.

today is today, today is a good day

Reflections are written and delayed posting not a reflection of current status, but a window into a past moment.

Every day and every moment we have a choice to make.

When the volume of need exceeds the capacity of response we have a choice to make.

Today I am riding that edge of more than can be done but today is today and today is a good day.

As we ride that edge, I look for any line, any space, anything that I can do to keep us on that edge a bit longer.


The potential to go tumbling down is there, miserable failure is a possibility but before we crash, before we tumble before we fail we will try.

I will try to alleviate suffering. 

I will try to create a system that is workable.

I will try to be at the forefront of humanitarian aid as we face new impacts of climate and social realities. 

Anahuac NWR Bird Rookery

In 2019 I had a chance to visit Anahuac NWR. With COVID-19 driving many of us to seek out activities that can be done safely with social distancing during the COVID pandemic. 

The Anahuac NWR Bird Rookery part of Anahuac NWR is a bit odd, its tucked many miles from the main visitor infrastructure but it has some great short trails to get you into the lowlands where the gulf of Mexico and the State of Texas blend together.

The first parking area will put you at the live oak trailhead. The area is well paved, easy for my sedan to navigate. Its buggy, I suggest you bring your bug spray. The total length of the trail is less than 1/2 a mile and you will move across a diverse set of landscapes ending at a waterway where you can feel far away from everything.

The second parking area you will come across puts you at the Rookery trial head. This trail is better developed (Fewer bugs), longer perhaps 1- mile with an equally diverse set of landscapes, ending at a large field that is half marsh, half solid land. This trail is a birding dreamscape. We saw a couple out looking for a few feathered friends who were on their trips back north.

I think that I most enjoyed was the water crossing at the very start of the trail, so many fish, birds, and turtles to be seen. We easily lingered for 30 min spotting these animals as they enjoyed the warm sun and cooler water.

We coupled our trip to this part of the refuge with an afternoon on Bolivar flying kits and enjoying the gulf.

The total trip from downtown Houston and back was 9 hours. A great chance to get out of the city for the day.

Explore Houston - Lawndale/ Wayside

As transplants to Houston, we are excited to take some time and explore parts of this diverse and dynamic city.

Last spring (2019) we spent a day in the Lawndale/ Wayside area, very near the U of H campus.

This day activity that can be done with social distancing during #COVID-19

First stop: Kickin Kombucha https://www.kickinkombuchapickup.com/ This local Kombucha brewer is yummy and the staff is exactly what you would hope, passionate about the product, helpful if you have questions and always have something unique to share while you are picking up your order.

From there a quick drive about 1.5 miles brings you to Smither Park https://www.orangeshow.org/ I am not sure I have words to describe the incredible visual pleasure of this park but I hope these photos give you a sample.

From Smither Park, we walked the very short street/ parking lot to Fonde Park that connects to the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail.

The Bluebonnets were out and the trail itself is in great shape. The Bayou still shows signs of construction, rehab, and rebuild after Hurricane Harvey.  We walked about 1.5 miles before turning around and heading back to our car.

Total Time on this trip from departure downtown to return was under 3 hours.

Looking for more Houston activity ideas? Check out Its not Hou's post about COVID activity: https://itsnothouitsme.com/2020/03/24/10-ways-to-stay-active-during-covid-19-in-houston/

COVID-19

7 weeks into social distancing. If I was going to title each week the 7 titles would be:

Excitement?

Overworked

Overwhelmed

Exhaustion

Sick or is it allergies

Grandfather passes

Cramps

Tomorrow

Reflections are written and delayed posting not a reflection of current status, but a window into a past moment.

Cant do it all

To be a high achiever

or an overachiever

I find that I excel in the face of unimaginable challenges where many before me have faltered and where the stakes are unimaginably high and the oceans continue to rises.



But I do it at a cost

There are weeks that I don't talk to friend and family that I love

There are days where the sun it out and the weather is perfect and I am overwhelmed by the though of leaving my apartment.

It is not depression its just exhaustion.

A deep physical and emotional need to hibernate for a day and to re-charge.

Tomorrow I'll go outside.

Tomorrow I'll call my mom

Tomorrow I'll be ready to take on the evolving humanitarian needs in America.