How to say Goodbye (work)

[WorkQs]

Hello, trying to work out if I am bitter or unreasonable.

Due to people leaving I took over 3 accounts with only basic manager’s support. A lot of work, basic needs covered but not a great job. Autumn last year a structure change was floated and I accepted but only made official this week.

Reshuffle involves me moving to new account and a guy taking over one of my old ones which is main focus of the whole business.

I have stepped back on my accounts since new year due to holiday and unannounced handover. New guy has taken this on wholeheartedly, he’s best mates with everyone. With hindsight, I wouldn’t be surprised if my contacts think I have been managed out.

Thinking of sending a ‘thanks and goodbye’ email to all of them but feeling weird. As contrast, new guy gets 1 account, plus someone to run day to day, plus an admin assistant, plus managerial support. Therefore he should be able to do a great job but I’m feeling it reflects badly on me and my ‘just getting by’ situation for the past year.

I will say thanks and goodbye to my contacts but I feel I want to say ‘great you’ll get more support going forward from xxx now there is more resource’ or something similar. I feel the contrast will be stark but the reasons not explained which reflects badly on me.

I realise this sounds a bit immature and is self involved (hence the question) but I often don’t advocate for myself and then overdo it when I do. Honestly though, I feel embarrassed about what people will think.

I don’t want to come across as someone with excuses but this guy is going to live the dream - time to travel and meet people whilst other people take care of the day to day. I’ve had to manage everything alone with no face to face due to Covid and limited support

How do I advocate for myself and not sound like I’m making excuses? Or should I just stay quiet?

Thanks!

I would feel the same as you. I see no harm in a well worded email explaining there has been a restructure and laying out all the positives and that you wish them well etc.

Thank you @ForensicFlossy
Voting is 50/50 so maybe I am being petty?

I think as long as the email is positive and you point out all the good reasons why the changes are happening it can't be a bad thing.

Agree with pps - think of it as 'selling' the restructure to the clients rather than defending yourself, and you will hit the right note.

You know you did the best you could in the circumstances so remain silent to maintain your dignity and self respect.
You don't need to explain yourself and to do so would make you look quite sad.

You will look like you're making excuses OP.

I think what PP Forensic said about highlighting the positives going forwards...really sad to be leaving but on a positive note, there is now more resources within the team to ensure a smoother delivery, covid has blah blah blah

I think you should highlight it - but in a positive note

Don’t
Just don’t
Just nice onwards and upwards
It will look petty and barbed

Contact them, wish them well, or some other phrase. Don't be bitter as it is not their fault you have been treated badly.

Anything other than "from 1/3 New Guy will be your account manager and his contact details are....." is sufficient.

You've already handed over the accounts and it's been about 7 weeks? I think it's too late to do this kind of email.

The client's won't really care about the company restructure unless they are paying more for the service. This might satisfy your desire to defend yourself but I think it would reflect badly on everyone - you're no longer working on the accounts, so I'm unclear on whether youshould you be using their contact information at all, plus you might affect the working relationship with the new guy. In his shoes I'd be furious if someone interfered like that.

I can image he's already spoken to them about what has changed and why - maybe you should speak to him about the handover and what the clients have been told?

I completely understand how you are feeling and why. It's so tempting to want to say something that highlights the true position but there is a high chance it could backfire and make it look like you are trying to make excuses for not coping and being managed out (even though that's not what happened). It might also look like you are batching about the new guy. Best to leave it.

Similar thing happened to me many years ago. Our sub team was tiny, just me and my boss (I was much more junior) and we ran a new special project from regional office. After a while it was really taking off and boss got scooped up to go and oversee the project nationally from head office. There was a recruitment drive to replace her regionally and add a couple more junior team members but this took about 3 months. There were still lots of appointments in the diary and I thought the project would lose momentum if I cancelled them and left the new boss to start over so I did them all myself. Really hard work, lots of really long days.

When new boss started we had a review meeting with head of office after a month and she enthusiastically congratulated him for how quickly he'd got on board and kept the momentum going, well done, really quite remarkable etc. He lapped it up proudly. I sat there seething thinking "what about well done me for single handedly keeping it all going round the clock, way above my pay grade for 3 months?" But I realised I would have looked bitter and churlish so I kept quiet. Arrghh.

Please don’t do this it looks really immature. The restructure etc is nothing to do with them. It’s fair enough to send a note saying you’re moving accounts and wish them all the best etc.
Anything more than that looks like you’re making excuses. The time to raise it would have been months ago, not after the fact. I know it’s a slap in the face but what’s done is done and can’t be changed.