Changing Jersey’s: The switch from one team to another

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.”

– Alan W. Watts

Switching teams can be exciting, stressful, sad and hopeful. The transition time between when you have resigned and before you start your next role will likely be ‘odd.’  People won’t know how to approach you, you won’t be invited to certain meetings, you can’t really start much new, and so on.  Managing this time and your own emotions can be stressful.

Here is an analogy.  It is like you are a college football player entering the transfer portal to head to another team, but there is a delay for a couple weeks until you can join that team for their next game.  You are changing jerseys, but right now you are stuck in between.  It gets awkward with which jersey you are wearing or if you even have one to put on right now.  Perhaps you are used to being a starter, but the coach benches you in favor of time and experience for the other members of the team that will be there longer term.  Your teammates may not know how to treat you either.  Can they joke around with you?  Are they happy and excited for you, or are they mad that you are leaving them?

Even if you have been with your current company for a relatively short period of time it can be awkward.  This gets even greater if you have been with the same company for years or decades. The emotions are real for you and for your co-workers.   Meetings that were routine will have added twists to them.  Certain things you might have made a decision on, may now need someone else to make that decision or at least agree with it.  Your voice in discussions will get smaller and weaker, to the point where it isn’t really heard or sought after. This is normal, but feels odd.

Your feelings may include:

1. Uncertainty – the transition and ‘change of jerseys’ means that your world is changing, and you can’t know for certain what your next job and company will be like.  You have interviewed, but it isn’t the same as being there.   You also don’t know what the future will hold for your past employer.  Will they stumble without you, or will they grow and be wildly successful while you watch from the sidelines?

2. Excitement – Moving on to a new role and new company will get the blood pumping.  You have chosen to make this move and movement always has some excitement that goes along with it.

3. Loss -  You are leaving friends and a work environment that you know and are comfortable with.  You won’t see these people much in the future, if at all.  There will be some grieving that you experience, unless you hated every person and aspect of your prior role.

4. Triumph – you were successful in your job search and it is nice to be recognized for be selected by the future company for your new role.

Your co-workers may be feeling:

1. Congratulatory – people will wish you well and many of them will mean it.  Everyone can appreciate that you did something well and finding a new position will likely mean a promotion and/or more money for you and your family.

2. Anger –  How could you leave us like this?  Frustration and anger might be real with some people that will feel like you are being a traitor.   The work doesn’t get any less when you leave, in fact it will likely get more for many of the people that remain as your work gets spread around.

3. Gratitude –  There will be some that are just appreciative of the time you spent at the company and the work that you accomplished.

4. Suspicion – Depending on where you are going, there may be some people wondering if you will be competing against them and/or taking some secrets with you.  They will shut you down quickly on certain topics and may keep you at a very healthy arm’s length for the final days of your work there.

5. Disappointment – There will be a sense of loss like what you are also feeling.  Friendships, humor, common interactions, talk at the water cooler…these will be lost.

The list of emotions could go on, but the key is to be aware of it.  Take note and try not to get too worked up when someone surprises you with their attitude that day.  Try to maintain a professional attitude and continue to contribute where it is appreciated and allowed.  Be willing to drop certain things or exit some activities if you get push back.  Ultimately the people that are remaining at the company should get to decide what, where, when and how you stay involved during the final days and weeks.  Be cool.

For some people this might be stressful, and they may choose to just take any unused vacation time during this period.  You then accelerate a lot of the emotions and timeline with co-workers as you say good-bye.  In some positions this could be needlessly challenging for the current employer as they will be rushing to continue to operate, extract some of your knowledge and prepare for the future.  But taking some time to breath and prepare for the next job is worthwhile too.  You will have a lot of new people, culture and work to adsorb quickly in the new company and you get one chance at a first impression.

Each situation will be unique based on yourself, your current manager, the culture of the company, the type of job responsibilities you have day to day and the people around you.  Be prepared for the various changes and challenges.  Keep calm, ride the waves and go with the flow, because your new job starts relatively soon and this is just part of the journey to get there.