Getting involved with amazing organizations is easy. Walking away from a volunteer commitment, particularly one in which you’ve played an important role, can be very difficult. Sometimes no matter how fulfilling and important the position is you’ll know it’s time to move on. While it’s a given you’re going to feel some guilt and stress about leaving, here are some steps just about anyone can take to mitigate the negative impacts your departure may have on an organization you are passionate about.
Ensure that leaving is the right decision
This is often easier said than done. You probably had a good reason for getting involved with the organization in the first place. Regardless of why you got involved, things change. When deciding whether leaving is the right move for you, factor in your time constrains, energy, enthusiasm for the team and mission, mental health, family/friends’ needs and your ability to add value. Sometimes it helps to put it all down on paper so you can chart out the benefits and consequences of involvement. Other times you’ll want to talk with a close friend, partner or mentor to get an outside perspective. We all have different ways to make decisions, but the important thing in this case is to be as intentional and certain before taking the next step.
Reach out to key people
It’s important to develop an internal list of people who you work with and support and reach out directly. These could be fellow board members, the person you volunteer with at the desk, clients you support or your supervisor. Be as truthful and ideally positive as possible. Even if it’s not the most exciting reason (“I just need to carve out more time to read and decompress”), the truth is usually the best in this sort of situation. Be mindful that your goal is to minimize damage to the organization so if you are leaving under a cloud of frustration, try to minimize or soften the recriminations (ie. “The work environment just wasn’t a great fit for my personality” as opposed to “Frankie our Board Chair is a total dick – why would anyone want to stick around this gong show?”). Remember being vindictive may feel good in the short run, but it rarely serves you in the longer term. More importantly it will likely do damage to the organization and morale of those who must continue the mission in your absence.
Be firm and put it in writing
Be very clear you are leaving. Avoid wiggle room unless you want to find yourself in the same position six months later. You also want to avoid the appearance of being a Prima Donna who needs to be wooed or fought over. Once you’ve had your difficult conversation with your supervisor, chairperson, etc. you should put it in writing so you both have a record. This is particularly important if you sit on a formal Board.
Offer continued support
Leaving cold-turkey is sometimes necessary and, in some cases, you won’t want to look back. But in an optimal situation, your departure can be softened with two or three offers of support which can demonstrate your continued commitment to the organization (if not in a volunteer capacity). These offers may include finding a replacement for yourself, an offer of future financial support/donations, a willingness to come back from time to time to help on special projects or the offer of counsel and support where needed. It might also mean simply spreading the word about how the organization adds value in peoples’ lives.
Give an exit interview
You may have some constructive feedback to provide to the organization. You can offer to provide feedback in an exit interview. But don’t push it. If they don’t take you up on the exit interview, they may not be ready/interested in hearing your feedback. Ultimately this is about them, not you. If you are upset about your experience, avoid the temptation of lighting the house on fire before you leave it – be a professional.