The resignation announcement on my desk was a sickening surprise: it was from someone I had never worked with, who wished to share his forced resignation with the world, and I feel strangely sorry for him. Raging about his change in circumstances, this person has let his anger overshadow his accomplishments. Whether leaving is your idea or someone else’s, please leave with your pride intact and your professional progress in people’s minds; you might be driving fast forward but, for most people, the future looms large in the rearview mirror.

If I wanted to hire or recommend this person to a future position, this letter created a roadblock. It said, “I resigned peacefully,” and, “Unfortunately, (former employer) has decided to assassinate my professional character.” Not so peacefully, then. Star employees address conflicts objectively and recognize that no assassination is peaceful. A potential employer would question his ability to read people and situations accurately.