He was near tears. She was leaving. She told him in a note. The sadness consumed him.

We talked on the phone, and the emotion was thick. The mood was dark. Depression hung over the conversation.

How long had they been married?

This might surprise you.

They’d never been married. They weren’t “together.” This hadn’t even been a casual romance.

He owns the law firm. She’s an associate. Their relationship is purely professional. And now the employer/employee part of it is coming to an end.

She’s heading off for what she believes are greener pastures.

Now he’s without this particular associate, and he’s disappointed. He’s feeling the loss. He didn’t see it coming, and he’s unhappy because he believed he had created a work environment that would result in his team sticking around.

At one point in the conversation, I asked him, “When did you think she’d leave?” He responded with “never.” That’s when I fully got it.

Employee Departures Are Inevitable

I remember those days. I remember when I believed that people would stay forever. I remember when I was shocked that anyone would ever consider leaving my firm.

I’m way beyond that now. Some would say I’m cynical, I’m jaded, or I have low expectations. Some would say all three about me.

But the guy on the other end of the call isn’t jaded. He truly believed that he had built a magical place and that no one would ever leave. He was feeling the disappointment in his gut. It was hard for him to even talk about it.

He believed they’d stay forever. From my cold-hearted perspective, I believe that they’re all going to leave. That’s the nature of the game. It’s inevitable as I see it.

Of course, you might build a small law practice where people stay forever. My father kept his very small team for a very, very long time. But those were different times, and his team was mostly himself and one employee. If that’s what you seek, then I suppose you might be able to pull it off.

But today, with a more mobile society, with so many options and opportunities, and with a growing business, you’ve got to expect people to come and go. You’re going to have to deal with transitions. It’s sad, it’s hard, but it’s inevitable.

The team you’ve got today is likely to look very different in 10 years. Things change, and people come and go.

During our call, we talked about the logistics of change. We talked about managing the team and communicating the news. We talked about how to transition the departing lawyer out and how to keep the clients on track. Those issues are trivial in the grand scheme. They’re manageable.

The bigger issue is the emotional impact of the departure. Managing how you feel about the departure is the key to continued growth and profitability. Your disappointment can’t permeate the environment or your decision-making. Your upset needs to come and go quickly as the business bounds forward.

3 Steps to Managing Employee Transitions

Thriving through a departure results from these three elements:

1. Expect It

No one is staying forever. When you hear “Can we talk?” you need to know what’s coming. It’s going to happen. Don’t be shocked. People have different visions of their life than you may be able to support. They have other priorities. They want to do things that matter to them. In most instances, the departure is good for the employee, and it’s good for the law firm.

2. Have a Replacement Plan

Have you interviewed someone this week? You should. You should always interview. Keep your hook in the water and see what you catch. You can always throw it back. Always interview. You need to be prepared to replace the departing employee. If you’re not interviewing, then you’re not ready. The departure is inevitable. Are you ready?

3. View It As an Opportunity

Each new member of the team brings something different. We often hire to fill the holes created by the last person holding the position. We get better and better at selecting new people. It’s rare for a replacement not to bring more than the person who departed. The new person is an opportunity for growth. New hires don’t see what has been accomplished. They see the possibility for growth and what could come next. You’ll get more than you expect from a new hire.

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It’s Time to Accept the Way of the Employment World

The key takeaway here is that people are leaving. It might happen in the first year, and it might not happen for more than 10. But you need to expect departures. It’s normal, it’s reasonable, and it’s not a personal affront to what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. It’s just the way of the world.

See it coming, be ready for it, and use it to grow your practice. Adjusting your perspective on departures will turn upset into opportunity. You’ll still be sad to lose day-to-day contact with a valued employee, but you’ll also see the possibilities. New people with new potential means new growth, energy, and hope. Good things will come.