When You Are Leaving, Do So With Class

If it is a good leaving or a bad one, what people will remember is your final words and actions.  Be graceful to the end, be the better person if you have to, make sure when you leave you give them a reason to be as grateful and gracious as possible also.

Here is an example.  Upon leaving my latest position here is a copy of the letter I sent to all mu Board Members.

Dear John,

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of you for the past three years we have spent together.  Thank you for your hard work and support.  We have been able to achieve many significant goals - vast audience expansions, a stronger community footing, largely expanded sponsorship base, and a more solid financial balance. 

As Christine Smith often says, Board Members are a variety of people that give their “Time, Talent, and Treasure.”  Over the last three years, as we have worked hard together to establish committees that meet regularly to help our organization, so many of you have stepped forward to go above and beyond your duties and contribute all three of those valuable attributes to this organization.  I am proud of you and of how all of you have stepped up to make this organization grow and become more successful than it had ever been before.  I hope that you are also proud of yourselves.

If you would like to do something to say goodbye to me before you go, please instead do something for the Erie Philharmonic.  I would like to encourage each of you to make a gift, or an additional gift, to the 100^th Anniversary Fund.  I feel that the best way you could say goodbye to me would be to continue to step forward together and support this organization.  When I leave for Springfield and the wonderful opportunity it offers me, please continue to help yourselves to have the best opportunities possible here.

I wish you all a tremendous Anniversary Season and a wonderful future!

Thanks!

Audrey J. Szychulski 

Executive Director