It feels like a gut punch. You get a call from an important, trusted team member and it is not business as usual. He calls to give you his notice. What???
If this has not happened to you, it will. Your mind races through the past few months looking for clues. Did he give you hints that he was unhappy, or looking? Did you tell him there was growth opportunities in the company? Did you do everything you could to keep him happy?
Perhaps it is an opportunity to elevate the person just behind him to a new role. Perhaps, it is an opportunity to assess your expectations. No one stays forever.
Perhaps it my be an opportunity to assess whether there are systems issues that are a pattern in your company. Maybe you just have entry level and very senior jobs. If that is so, you will have turnover at the one year or the 2 year point and need to have a documented training program to get new hires up to speed quickly. Then you will be ready for the turnover.
Or, it could be you are always looking for that unique individual who can sell anything and loves to keep track of all the details. And, once upon a time, you found that person. Maybe that person is you. And, in 10 years you have never found a duplicate. hmmm.
As to the person who is quitting, it is possible that you will not get a straight answer as to why. I’ve been through exit interviews. I never took the bait to tell them what they could have done better. I did leave for a better opportunity. That was true. And, I didn’t look back.
A best practice I heard recently was to check in with the individual 60 days after they left. How are they? Is there any feedback they would be willing to give you about what worked and didn’t work for them at your place? By then, they may give you honest feedback. And, who knows, they may be sorry they left. And, you may have moved on.
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