I've done this many times, I know for a fact that almost NONE of the prep work, training, file organization, email handoffs, exit/handoff plans, and so on...were ever used except to allow somebody to make excuses on their 'delays' in the first few months after I left.
I've also worked in industries for many years, and was told this line about 'leaving on good terms'. Honestly though, you could just about nearly commit murder - your 'name' and 'reputation' don't matter if there money / a deal to be made. And you'll almost never meet ICs again, so why are you bothering to 'leaving on good terms'. Its a fantasy. Grab names and emails on the way out, though, might be handy.
And, sometimes, you should just go. Seriously. If you didn't care so much trying to make it all happen and work and 'meet timelines', all that would happen is something would fall behind and the management would finally do their job and give relief to the team you think you're helping by doing so much work to 'offramp' - and perhaps get the people they refused before because you were handling it. Seriously, just dropping your shit where you stand and walking out into the sun one fine day may be the greatest gift you give that 'team' of yours.
What's also funny is this idea that leaving a company ASAP will put you on bad terms with your coworkers whom you might need to rely upon in the future.
Outside of very specific circumstances, it's probably not the least bit true. Most of us simply aren't that important, and very few of us are that important that a team will be screwed if we GTFO ASAP. I can count on more than one hand the times that the lead developer or PM were gone for multiple weeks and virtually nothing changed as a result. If coworkers are indeed screwed by your departing without taking a month to do prep work, that's more often a sign that the company is dysfunctional. It's a rare circumstance that someone has unique skills and knowledge that aren't easily replaced.
I've had my share of times where I left a company either less than two weeks after or immediately upon quitting, and have never been shunned by coworkers I was on good terms with. It just doesn't happen. Nobody cares. If anything, I've been praised by coworkers I've been reaquainted with at other companies for leaving behind a dysfunctional environment with few f@$#s given.
> And you'll almost never meet ICs again, so why are you bothering to 'leaving on good terms'. Its a fantasy. Grab names and emails on the way out, though, might be handy.
If you only want to be an IC forever sure who cares?
If you want to found a company/lead teams, those people are the network you’ll bring to your next gig. Why fuck them over?
I've also worked in industries for many years, and was told this line about 'leaving on good terms'. Honestly though, you could just about nearly commit murder - your 'name' and 'reputation' don't matter if there money / a deal to be made. And you'll almost never meet ICs again, so why are you bothering to 'leaving on good terms'. Its a fantasy. Grab names and emails on the way out, though, might be handy.
And, sometimes, you should just go. Seriously. If you didn't care so much trying to make it all happen and work and 'meet timelines', all that would happen is something would fall behind and the management would finally do their job and give relief to the team you think you're helping by doing so much work to 'offramp' - and perhaps get the people they refused before because you were handling it. Seriously, just dropping your shit where you stand and walking out into the sun one fine day may be the greatest gift you give that 'team' of yours.