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Handling resignation with grace

What you need to know:

  • Resignation, especially in close-knit or creative teams, can feel like a breakup. Whether you’re the one leaving or the one being left, it’s rarely easy.
  • However, in today’s collaborative world, where people move between roles, projects, and organisations more fluidly, how we exit matters just as much as how we enter.

I had been dreading the conversation for days. Each time I rehearsed my lines, the pang of guilt grew inside my chest. Last month, I had to bow out of a team I had joined with so much enthusiasm just a few months earlier. Life had changed, work had shifted, and I knew I couldn’t give it the attention it deserved. But the part I feared most wasn’t leaving; it was telling the founder.

Should I start with “I’m so sorry…” or go straight into “I really value this team, but…”? I expected disappointment, maybe even distance. But when I finally worked up the courage and told her, she paused, smiled warmly, and said, “Thank you for letting me know. I’m grateful for what you’ve contributed. I’m all about advocating for self. I also believe in seasons; this one just came to a close for us.”

“Ehh?” My brain froze. I was taken aback by her grace. I had expected some pushback or maybe some coaxing to stay, but she didn’t guilt me; she gave me grace and left me with no choice but to write about it.

Resignation, especially in close-knit or creative teams, can feel like a breakup. Whether you’re the one leaving or the one being left, it’s rarely easy. However, in today’s collaborative world, where people move between roles, projects, and organisations more fluidly, how we exit matters just as much as how we enter.

When I joined the team, I was onboarded with excellence, but being offboarded with dignity was a quiet skill I learnt that day.

According to a 2023 Gallup report, 51 percent of employees globally are watching for or actively seeking a new job. Resignations aren’t rare; they’re expected. What’s less common is mutual respect during transitions. A Harvard Business Review article published in 2018 found that how leaders handle resignations directly impacts whether departing employees remain advocates or become detractors.

A well-handled resignation can lead to long-term professional goodwill, future collaborations, and even referrals. Mishandled ones can sever relationships that took years to build.

Whether you are the one leaving or the one being left, remember that departure is not betrayal, and being left is not a sign of failure. People grow, goals evolve, and timing changes.

When someone resigns gracefully, it’s a sign of maturity. When a leader receives that resignation with grace, it’s a sign of wisdom. The goal isn’t to prevent people from moving on; it’s to hold space for them to do so with honesty, respect, and kindness.

Here’s a quick action sheet on how to handle a resignation with grace and professionalism:

If you’re the one resigning:

1. Be honest but respectful. Don’t ghost, delay, or sugarcoat.

2. Offer a handover. Leave things better than you found them.

3. Express gratitude. Name what you learnt or valued.

4. Keep the door open. You never know where paths may cross again.
 If you’re the one receiving the resignation:

1. Respond with appreciation, not accusation.

2. Affirm their contribution. Say thank you. Mean it.

3. Resist the urge to guilt. Let them leave with peace, not pressure.

4. Ask for insights. Their exit can offer helpful feedback.

To the founder and friend who received my leaving not with resistance but with grace, you reminded me that true leadership is not only about gathering people but also about releasing them with kindness. You made space for my decision, and in doing so, you taught me something deep and quiet about power. Thank you. I hope that one day, when it is my turn to lead, I will remember how you made me feel and offer someone else the same blessing you gave so effortlessly. 

For enquiries and suggestions, contact [email protected].