I was fired. But I didn’t hesitate to work late, by myself, on my last day. Heck, I even set the alarm and locked the gate on my way out. That’s finishing well in my “book” and that’s the least I owed my employer. This I commend to you, whether you’re moving to a new position, to a new company, or to retirement.
Say you have a rotten boss, but you otherwise want to stay with your employer. You can either find another boss at that same company, or you can take your chances that your current boss will flame out. If you follow the latter course, you better be willing to take lots of grief, while performing your duties flawlessly. If you finally can’t take it and you must leave the company, you’re justified in saying that you worked tirelessly to overcome a “personality disagreement” rather than being judged “abrasive – can’t get along” as I once was. Then salvage some positives from your prior tenure, such as “learned to be patient” or “became a better supervisor.”
Bring new passion (and sensitivity) to your new position – but not cockiness. No one at your new workplace wants to hear how much “greener the grass” was in your past situation, or hear your sob stories. Become a good listener instead. Always respond promptly – but don’t hesitate to say “I don’t know but I’ll find out.” Then make a note to follow-up.
Follow the golden rule: be nice to everybody. Make eye contact, flash a smile, and a show a welcoming spirit to get things off to a good start. Follow also Dale Carnegie’s sound advice, “Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”
In summary, don’t burn any old bridges, instead build new ones. Especially don’t disparage the one who dismissed you – this is too small an industry. Even after my painful firing noted above, I’ve done 30 years of business with that company. Though the owner may not appreciate me, recently his son asked me for advice when he was hiring a new manager for my old job. Being there when you’re needed is the best way to finish well, and to carry that good feeling into the next season of your life.