41
Giving Notice to Your Supervisor

STRATEGY

Giving notice can be dangerous, even when you already have another job. It's conceivable an angry supervisor could fire you on the spot, forcing you to lose at least two weeks' pay. If you give too much notice you could end up getting fired as soon as you've wrapped up your work or your replacement is selected. The solution is to give the two weeks that have become customary, and to be prepared to deflect attempts to fire you. The best way to do that is to practice a subtle form of workplace extortion. Your obligation to conclude short‐term projects and prepare memos on your long‐term projects should be implicit with your being given two weeks to wrap things up. By the way, it makes sense to hold off actually preparing and presenting those memos for as long as possible, since they're your only leverage to ensure that you get your final paycheck.

TACTICS

  • Attitude: Be direct, businesslike, and confident. The only thing they can do to you is fire you—and you're leaving for another job anyway.
  • Preparation: In this script it's actually more a matter of not preparing. State what you'll do during your two weeks as a lame duck, but don't actually do it until you've gotten their agreement that you'll be employed for those two weeks.
  • Timing: Do this as soon as possible after learning you've been hired and have cleaned up your files. Do it as early in the day and as early in the week as possible so the company has a chance to react right away.
  • Behavior: Remain calm, even in the face of anger or threats. Don't simply absorb abuse, however. Make it clear that your being fired will not only hurt the company and the staff but will send a clear message to other staff members that they should simply quit rather than give notice.
Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 41. Giving Notice to Your Supervisor with an opening statement, situations, and responses.
Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 41. Giving Notice to Your Supervisor with situations and responses.

ADAPTATIONS

This script can be modified to:

  • Terminate a non‐business relationship.

KEY POINTS

  • Be confident, direct, and determined. The die has been cast so be forceful.
  • If they get angry and threaten to fire you, say that will hurt the company and give the wrong message to employees.
  • If they say two weeks isn't enough, tell them you'll do everything possible to help, but insist it's the best you can do.
  • Unless they accept the situation gracefully, give them the last word—it will help assuage their bruised ego.