October 7

Resignation Letters

If you’re doing work that matters to you, conflict is inevitable. It may even become a part of your everyday work experience. The natural response when conflict becomes the norm is to entertain the thought of moving on. Before entertaining leaving your job, here’s something you can do to clarify what’s really at the heart of your frustration: write a letter of resignation, but don’t deliver it.

Convey all the reasons you need to move on, all the frustrations you experience daily, and all the ways in which you feel underutilized. Be as personal as you’d like, since no one will ever read it.

Once you’ve written your letter, ask yourself a few questions:

►How much of what’s in this letter could I change if I really wanted to?

►Am I looking to my job to provide something a job cannot ultimately give me (identity, self-worth, etc.)?

►How much of what’s in this letter is recent frustration vs. old wounds that haven’t healed?

►How much of what’s in this letter have I experienced in other workplaces as well?

►Are there any unexpected patterns I see within this letter?

Before considering leaving your job, first write a resignation letter but don’t send it. You might discover ways in which you are contributing to your own frustration.

QUESTION

Do you need to write a letter to express your frustration, whether for work or something else causing strife?