How To Announce The Resignation of the Problem Team Member

by Denise O'Berry

I have had conflict with one of my Team Leaders for a year now. I have been working with HR to deal with the insubordination, innuendos, and undermining for over a year now from her. She has rallied the staff and surgeons to take sides against me this past week. Then HR received a corporate compliance report about the above mentioned Team Leader and had a meeting with her, giving her detailed expectations she had to follow. Now she has turned in her resignation. My question is what do I announce to the Doctors and staff about her leaving? How do I present it?

The Team Doc Says…

This kind of team member – especially in a Team Leader role – is toxic to your team. Congratulations for hanging in there and successfully getting rid of her. Your team will experience some “shock” time, but it will be better for it.

No one needs to know the details of her resignation except you. All you need to tell the team is that she has resigned effective (date). And you need to move forward and begin repairing the damage done to your team. Don’t look back.

It would be a good idea to get everyone together and reconfirm roles and responsibilities, and your team mission and goals. Also take some time to strengthen the team communication channels by talking through what’s working and what’s not. Good luck and let me know how this works out for you.

What advice do you have for her reader? Please leave a comment.

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More info on this topic at:

  1. How To Build A Team With Gender Issues
  2. The Hurricane Season Peaks — Is Your Team Ready?
  3. Team Building Process Too Slow
  4. Is Team Leadership About The Title?
  5. What To Do About Team Member Grudges

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Jane Aires del Puerto July 14, 2009 at 10:01 pm

I am also an employee and I was really amazed with the great answer. This scenario happens all the time and I do agree that those in higher position should keep it confidential for the sake of the problem team member. He may be toxic to the team but still he deserves some privacy and respect.

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