When Leaving a Job, What You Say Has Consequences
Tempted to go out with a bang on the last day of a really bad job? Think again before you open your mouth.
Who hasn’t wanted to tell a scheming, incompetent manager or boss just what we think of them while clearing our desk and walking out of an office that had become toxic, emotional poison?
If there were no consequences, giving them a piece of your mind might feel good, “But the operative word here has only two letters and is the most powerful in any language,” states Lyle Sussman, Ph.D., former Chairman and Professor Emeritus of Management, College of Business and Public Administration at the University of Louisville.
“That word is if. What if there had never been a Napoleon, a Hitler, a Stalin or Winston Churchill? How different would our world be, today? Especially now, ‘Telling them what I think as I walk out’ has a greater potential for causing lasting harm than ever before,” Sussman cautions.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Will I Cross Paths with This Employer in the Future?
“Before saying anything of a critical nature,” he underscores, “ask yourself this question: ‘How likely is it that I will cross paths with this employer in the future?’
“If you can guarantee the probability is 100% that you never will, then being relatively candid is OK. So, if you think the person is a real jerk and that you have been treated as a second-class citizen, you can say it.
“But this is only if you are absolutely sure that you will never cross paths with that person in the future — that you will never need them or their organization as a reference or want to work there again.”
Nothing Gets Deleted Anymore
To Sussman, today we are living in a different world — a world that doesn’t forget, in large part due to social media.
“Five or six years ago I would have said that candor and honesty is good for the soul and might even help the other party. Now I am much more reluctant to recommend this because there are no secrets. We are living in a world where nothing gets deleted anymore. Sure, hit delete and you don’t see it anymore, but it may still be out there, somewhere.
“We have all said things at some time in our lives which may have been justified and proper then — or just plain silly — which we have forgotten, but which have the power to come back and haunt us when taken out of context, especially by someone or some group with an agenda. As Google never forgets, a search may bring up old information from 10, 20, 30 years back — events that are irrelevant to your life today and your accomplishments.”
And his conclusion about candor when leaving a job?
“Unless the person decides that they are going to sell seashells in Margaritaville and never return to society, you’ve got to be very cautions.
“Err on the side of disclosing less than more. Be civil and concentrate on moving forward with the assumption that you may need this person in the future again. Shake hands, smile and say, ‘Thank you for the opportunity of working here and learning so much.’”
Just ask Comedian/Actor Kevin Hart about the Power of the Past
If you want an extreme case of how old words can come back to haunt you, take the example of comedian and actor Kevin Hart, says Dr. David D. Schein, Associate Professor at the Cameron School of Business of the University of St. Thomas in Houston and author of The Decline of America: 100 Years of Leadership Failures.
Ten years ago, as part of Hart’s standup act, he made what were characterized as anti-gay statements. After he was named host of this year’s Oscars, videos of his act and anti-gay tweets circulated across the Web. He responded by saying that he is not homophobic and that this was part of his comedy act at that time. Yet, he still ended up declining to be the prestigious Master of Ceremonies.
Schein sees, “something dangerous happening to our country. We are losing our sense of humor and shoving freedom of speech into the freezer when we punish a comedian for his 10-year-old monologue. Think of Don Rickles, Joan Rivers and other amazing comics who found funny things about all of us. The public laughed with them and made them famous.
“It is important to grow up as a society and respect who people are today. To penalize someone for something they said 10 years ago as part of a nightclub act is more than unfair. It is dangerous. A tyranny of political correctness is suffocating common sense and free speech in America.”
While you may never be up for hosting the Oscars, remember that what you say can be held against you for years, and possibly even decades, to come. Keep that in mind the next time you’re walking out the door on the last day of work.
-
10 Cheapest Places to Live in WashingtonProperty Tax Is Washington your go-to ski destination? These counties combine no income tax with the lowest property tax bills in the state.
-
Healthy to 100: Secrets from Countries Where Retirees Age BestLongevity is a team sport, according to author Ken Stern. Here's the secret sauce for living long, healthy lives from countries like Italy and Japan.
-
My First $1 Million: Semiretired CPA, 68, San FranciscoEver wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
6 Overlooked Areas That Can Make or Break Your Retirement, From a Retirement AdviserIf you're heading into retirement with scattered and uncertain plans, distilling them into these six areas can ensure you thrive in later life.
-
I'm a Wealth Adviser: These Are the 7 Risks Your Retirement Plan Should AddressYour retirement needs to be able to withstand several major threats, including inflation, longevity, long-term care costs, market swings and more.
-
High-Net-Worth Retirees: Don't Overlook These Benefits of Social SecurityWealthy retirees often overlook Social Security. But timed properly, it can drive tax efficiency, keep Medicare costs in check and strengthen your legacy.
-
Do You Have an Insurance Coverage Gap for Your Valuables? You May Be Surprised to Learn You DoStandard homeowners insurance usually has strict limits on high-value items, so you should formally "schedule" these valuable possessions with your insurer.
-
8 Practical Ways to Declutter Your Life in 2026: A Retirement 'Non-Resolution' ChecklistHere's how to stop wasting your energy on things that don't enhance your new chapter and focus on the things that do.
-
To Retire Rich, Stop Chasing Huge Returns and Do This Instead, Courtesy of a Financial PlannerSaving a large percentage of your income, minimizing taxes and keeping spending in check can offer a more realistic path to retiring rich.
-
New Year, New Retirement Rules: Here's How You Can Keep Up as the Landscape ChangesFor a successful modern retirement, prepare for a longer life, manage high health care costs and prioritize your social life and purpose.
-
7 Creative Ways to Spend Less and Save More In Retirement, Courtesy of a Financial ProWorried you won't have enough money later in life? Try redesigning your vision of retirement, and you may find your savings go further than you thought.
