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This column is about the dangers of taking months to leave a job after announcing a planned departure. But first, let me ask: Do you have a Rubik’s Cube in a junk drawer somewhere?

Yes, you probably do. With 450 million sold worldwide since its introduction in 1974, this maddening little fidget toy is one of the most successful products ever created. I even found one in our garden a few years back, which I later learned a frustrated neighbor had tossed over the fence. Since they’re made of plastic, they’ll probably be among the most common fossil remnants of our existence millennia from now.

I sometimes think about my dirt-crusted garden discovery when I consider situations where one side looks settled while the picture behind the scenes is more chaotic. Just like a partially-solved Rubik’s Cube, it soon becomes clear that trying to improve other aspects of the problem will mess up something else you thought was already fixed.

And where was I heading with this long analogy? Oh, right — to the long workplace goodbye. In theory, leaving a job slowly can be a win-win-win, especially if the departing employee has been deeply embedded in the organization.

When all the stars align, the employee wins by having more time to ease out the door; the company wins by having a smoother transfer of institutional knowledge or client loyalty; and the replacement worker wins by having a mentor while acclimating to new responsibilities.

The reality? Almost always messier, with only one or two sides “winning,” or everyone not-winning in the end. Sometimes lack of planning is the culprit, and sometimes it’s lack of communication, where everyone assumes they’re on the same page when they’re not. That’s when a sense of territory can kick in, with everyone trying to solve their side of the Rubik’s Cube without realizing the impact they’re having on the other squares.

For example, when the company removes the departing worker from long-term projects, it establishes the new team and reduces reliance on the person who’s leaving. Unfortunately, it can also create a lame duck, with a loss of stature and relevance. For the person who’s leaving, that makes an awkward walk down the hall past meetings-in-progress.

But when the company keeps the departing worker in the picture, the result can be just as awkward: A feedback loop from someone who won’t be around later to pay the price for bad advice. Or worse, an actual obstacle in the form of someone vested in past practices to the detriment of new processes. Or, far, far worse: Continued interaction for the sake of appearances, with diminishing engagement or investment in the results.

Things don’t get any better when the new person in the job discovers they’re not really in charge after all, as long as the other person is still in the building. Trying to balance between respecting a long-time employee and getting on with the business at hand can take an enormous toll.

Even clients and vendors can get caught in the turmoil, finding it difficult to identify who has authority over decisions and projects.

I start to see why my neighbor tossed that unsolved cube over the fence.

Despite all these shortcomings, long leave-takings aren’t necessarily a terrible idea — they’re just tricky. If you’re thinking about a phased departure, these tips might make it go more smoothly:

Lean short. Trying to decide between three months and six? That’s a clear sign that three is better. If you need the longer income or benefits, just wait three more months before announcing your three-month plan (netting you the same six months in the end).

Let things go. If you’re phasing out of the position, don’t just do less of everything. Let some things go completely so someone else can take them over, perhaps asking you the occasional guiding question.

Set clear boundaries. Transfer inquiries from clients or others directly to the person now handling the situation, and acknowledge their authority as you do so. Repeat as often as needed to establish the new order in everyone’s mind.

Leave early if needed. If a replacement isn’t named or isn’t stepping up, and the supposedly diminished workload is piling up on your desk, advance your departure date. Sometimes these arrangements fail and when they do, guess who ends up with reputational damage? That would be you, the person no longer there to defend themselves. If this happens, make as clean and clear of a leave-taking as you can and move on to the next thing on your life agenda.Related Articles Business | Working Strategies: Exploring work issues for people living with disabilities Business | Working Strategies: Just one more thing … answering supplemental questions Business | Working Strategies: Start right in your next job – introducing yourself to your new co-workers

Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.

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