I received two unexpected letters of resignation in 2012 from key members of the Clear Books team. Neither departure left a vacuum but rather spurred on productivity.
As the CEO should I feel let down when people want to leave? We have a great team spirit at Clear Books and in both cases these employees moved on for more money. It happens and as a frugal startup Clear Books cannot compete.
The Contractor
I kept in contact with the first employee who resigned and a few weeks after he left we hired him as a part time contractor. Outside of his new job he is doing the key tasks he used to do for us but at a fraction of the cost.
The Team Leader
The second resignation was one of the first people I employed at Clear Books. A dominant character who knew Clear Books inside out and had led the development team as it had grown. As a key member of Clear Books you would have assumed that losing this person would have been a blow for the company.
The opposite.
The departure paved the way for the rest of the team to shine through with new ideas and approaches. It’s amazing to see how liberating this has been for the team and the fresh dynamic that now exists.
If you lose a key member of your team you may be pleasantly surprised at the benefits of a reshuffle.
