It’s been my pleasure to work with you for the past four years. I’ve found you to be honest and well-meaning, committed to helping your various teams improve, and tenacious in your assessment of peoples’ work. You were never overly-harsh, but your astute observations kept those who worked for you honest about their progress and accomplishments. This created an atmosphere of integrity that I valued a great deal.

This integrity point was likely the first characteristic I noticed about you. I was quite low on the totem pole when I first worked with you in the fall of 2005 and you were new to the company so perhaps I thought that was why you treated even me with respect, but you proved consistent in that regard through the years I’ve now known you. I’m not the only one who feels this way. It’s safe to say that there are many of us here in the office who would follow you into the breach because of how you’ve inspired us with your honest and measured leadership. The Mrs. and I followed you across the country to work with you in the new office, so maybe I’m just biased.

The past three years working closely with you have taught me how to be a better leader as I took many of my cues from you. Not to say that you’re perfect or that we never disagreed or that your choices never disappointed me, but we both learned from our mistakes and you encouraged that process. I feel like my considertaion of organizational or functional changes is much more measured and less dismissive than it was previously. I’m a big ‘J’ in Myers-Briggs speak and a high D/C in my DiSC profile, so my default tendencies are to make snap decisions and operate more or less unwaveringly along the lines of those decisions. You taught me to reserve judgment until I actually needed to make one and to ask direct questions as a way to encourage well-rounded ideas. Thank you for that.

You will be missed a great deal. Probably more than you think even. You are the face of this office for all of the employees here, whose names you know by heart, for their families, and for the larger community. You’ve pioneered community outreach at this company and taught the higher-ups about its importance. You’ve been a mentor to me and to many others.

So. Although I am personally saddened that you are leaving and I’m worried about how the leadership team here will evolve without you, I’m also trying my best to be excited for you. I know it’s a great opportunity for you to grow your career and your talents. They’re lucky to have you and we are losing one of our best. I hope to contribute in some small way to filling the very large gap you will leave behind.

The very best of luck,

Me