How To Step Down From A Leadership Position

If you’re doing your job well as a leader, then you’re going to grow your team and yourself. That means that people are going to grow out of your team into new roles on new teams. And one of those people will eventually be you. You’re going to grow out of that leadership role.

But how well you handle the transition-how well you step down from a leadership position and enter the new one-is going to have a big effect on your future leadership.

In this article, we’ll outline how to step down from a leadership position professionally. We’ll cover how to quit in a way that respects your team, sets them up for success, and helps you enter your new position well.

Step One: Prepare Your Resignation Letter

The first step to resigning from a leadership position is to prepare your resignation letter. Write this letter ahead of time, before any conversation with any supervisor or colleague. It doesn’t have to be a robust letter. A simple note works fine, such as: “Please accept my letter of resignation. My last day will be two weeks from today. Thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of this organization.” The details may not even be final. They may change after you announce you’re leaving. But the point is to have the resignation letter prepared to signal the…