Resigning the right way

So far 2004 has been a robust year for resignations. Gavyn Davies, BBC chairman, Greg Dyke, director general, and reporter Andrew Gilligan sent shock waves through the chattering classes by falling on their swords, however reluctantly, over the Hutton inquiry.

And construction has seen its share of high-level departures. Andrew Sutton, chief executive of Jarvis' Accommodation Services Division resigned following some excruciating national press and a slump in share prices. Surprisingly, Struan Robertson, CEO of Wates, parted company amid a generally sunny company outlook.

More time with the family? Pursuing other opportunities? Behind these stock phrases lies a murky world of strategy and risk most of us will need to negotiate at least once in our careers.

How can you make resignation work for you? We asked a mix of expert resigners and consultants for tips.

The first step is knowing when it's time to go, and one of the most common situations is an impasse at your point in the chain of command.

"It becomes untenable when you find yourself asking for help over your boss's head and no one is responding," says Peter Gracia, who resigned from JR Knowles five years ago only to rejoin earlier this year. "In a situation like that it means they all see it as a personality clash and they're waiting to see how it resolves itself."

Consultant Aamir Ahmed says company leaders shouldn't wait for a problem to become obvious. They should be attuned to whether or not they have passed their sell-by date. They should even invite colleagues to let them know.

"They need to know when their job is done," he said, "and most often that is when the people in the organisation are ready to cope with change, in the same way a good coach knows when the team is ready for him to pull out."

But isn't it natural to want to protect your job?

You have to make the ones who plotted your downfall wonder if they did the right thing

Sandi Rhys-Jones

"By having these conversations they pre-empt the need to leave. Leaders should be having this conversation with their teams all the time. It can be a great affirmation of what they're doing well or what they could stop doing."

Fine. Let's say it's time to go, whether you jump or felt a distinct nudge. What's the best way of handling the departure? Consultant Sandi Rhys-Jones says that if you make a speech, use it to make 'em squirm.

"You need to make everyone feel that you are going to be missed. Even the ones who plotted your downfall, you have to make them wonder whether they've done the right thing," she said. "But don't personalise it or appear to take credit. Just remind everybody of the good bits."

Don't start fires
But be careful not to burn your bridges, insists Peter Gracia. "It's silly to go down in a blaze of glory at the farewell do," he said. "You may have had a personality clash but personalities are always changing. People move up, sideways, and out all the time. In a short period the conditions may be good for rejoining."

Construction has its own resignation challenges. In this industry reputations are fragile because a) you're only as good as your last project and b) gossip spreads quickly.

Nick Pettit, 36, has resigned twice in the last two years. In terms of reputation management, he believes it may be wise to tell your prized clients first that you're on the way out. They are, after all, more important for both your reputation and the interests of the company you're leaving. He also cautions against taking a client with you. Your new company may hail you as a business magnet but it can backfire if the ongoing projects run into trouble.

Pettit advocates the use of a touch of 'spin', too. In short, manage the message: "Try to get some press coverage. This announces it to a larger audience, the fact that you've moved and what it is you are setting out to do."