We're emotional creatures, especially during times of change, says Anne Hartman, who's president of Boston-based Career Investment Strategies Inc. To help you cope, here are some tips for keeping your emotions — and the emotions of others — in check.
Coordinates: Anne Hartman, hartman@career-investment.com
| Symptom | Antidote |
|---|---|
| Anger Your boss is a jerk, and you're dying to tell him off and march out in a cinematic huff. | Remember that the impression you leave behind is often lasting, and your employer holds the key to your career — a reference. Think twice before complaining. Your boss is a jerk, and you're dying to tell him off and march out in a cinematic huff. |
| Joy Your new gig comes with $2.5 million in stock options — and you're tempted to break into a celebratory dance after you give notice. | Put a lid on your hyperdelight and remember that there's no such thing as a perfect solution: Even a dream job comes with problems. |
| Sorrow You know you should be delighted about leaving for a better opportunity. But you find yourself wistfully longing for your former company's ambience. | Remember the reasons why you're leaving. You've done this before. You'll get through it. |
| Guilt You can't block out the times when you turned in a less-than-stellar performance. You're inclined to take on more work, though you're days away from leaving. | You'll really feel guilty if you can't complete all of your work before your last day. Finish what's doable, delegate the rest, and go. |
| Panic You've given notice, but you just can't stop second-guessing yourself. You're tempted to pick up the phone to ask if you can revoke your resignation. | It's natural to have some premove jitters. Remind yourself of all the reasons why you took the new job, back when you were thinking clearly. |
| Jealousy When word gets out about your new gig, your close friends at the office start to give you the cold shoulder. | People might feel as if you're abandoning them. Take them to lunch, and let them see that your relationships with them go beyond work. |
| The Blahs Glum and mopey, you drag yourself through your last two weeks. | Do you want to be remembered as the one who sank the office morale? You decided to leave, so act upbeat and work hard through your last day. |
A version of this article appeared in the April 2000 issue of Fast Company magazine.
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