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Three Things to Consider Before You Quit Your Job in a Huff June 27 2011
The big buzz in baseball last week was the sudden resignation of Washington Nationals manager, Jim Riggleman. As Dave Sheinin reported in the Washington Post, the Nats had just beaten the Seattle Mariners to go over .500 in June for the first time in six years. It was then that the team’s general manager walked into the club house to tell the players that their on-field skipper had just quit.
Apparently, Riggleman had been unhappy with both the salary and short term nature of his contract with the Nationals and told his GM before the game with the Mariners that he wanted a better deal by the end of the game or he was walking. He didn’t get the deal and he walked.
Everyone who has ever dreamed of telling their employer where to put it probably admires Riggleman at some level. You have to wonder, though, if Riggleman woke up the next day thinking, “Man, what have I done?” The guy was perfectly within his rights to want a better deal. There’s nothing wrong with what he wanted. How he went about trying to get it is another story however. Is any other organization going to hire a manager who walked out on his team in the middle of the season?
Are you a leader who’s considering making a big statement like quitting your job on short notice? The case of Jim Riggleman offers at least three things to consider before you do something you might regret in the morning:
Think Long Term: It sounds like Riggleman was really focused on what was eating him in the short term. He wanted a longer term commitment from his employer. It’s easy to get so caught up on what you want in the short term that you lose sight of long term considerations like, “What will this do to my reputation, my future employment prospects and how I think of myself down the road?”
Ultimatums Rarely Work: If you’re going to deliver an ultimatum like give me a better deal or I’m out of here, you better have a lot of leverage on your side. Before you go in with guns blazing, step back and ask yourself if you’re really indispensable. Chances are that you’re not. That’s why Charles DeGaulle said, “The cemeteries are full of indispensable men.”
Why Quit a Winning Team?: Apart from the fact that he was hired to coach the Nationals through a full season, why would Riggleman or anyone else quit on a team that’s improving and winning? Even if you’re not happy with your deal, you can get stuff done, learn a lot and position yourself for better opportunities down the road by nurturing a winning team.
So, I guess what I’m saying is that Riggleman should have stuck it out through the end of the season. That was likely the best thing for his own self-interest and that of his team. As they say, time will tell.
What do you think? Did Riggleman play it right or should he have gone another way? In any case, what’s your best advice for leaders who are considering leaving their jobs or making other big decisions on short notice?
Scott Eblin is an executive coach, speaker and author of 
Not being a big baseball fan, I'm not familiar with this situation, but having resigned suddenly from a position before, I'm guessing he might not regret his decision at all. (I gave 3 weeks notice, but still, that's not much in a management position.) I know I didn't regret my decision for one second after I resigned. Often it appears that folks quit in a huff, but it's really been brewing for a while and something tips the balance. Again, I'm not familiar with this specific situation, but "quitting in a huff" was the best thing I ever did. Ironically, I'm back working for the company and project I left, but in a completely different role with almost entirely different "players." Having left the project before, the company and project knows what I will and will not tolerate, too. Just another perspective.
Shirley
Hi, Scott – - –
I agree with you on all points. The thing that makes this case somewhat unique, I think, is the "seasonal" nature of the job — i.e., as you noted, baseball managers sign on for a full season. This would be comparable to a teacher or academic administrator signing on for the full academic year. Probably the closest parallel in the corporate world would be quitting in a huff in the middle of a major project that you've been entrusted to lead (and for which you're not easily or immediately replaceable).
While it would be understandable for the baseball manager to decide (to himself), "I've been mistreated in such a way that, even if they make me an offer after the season, I'll decline it" (or for the business manager to leave at the completion of the major project). Fair enough. To walk away from his team mid-year, though, isn't good on any level.
Hi Shirley and Mike –
Thanks for the comments. I think the common denominator in both of your comments is the need to think through the consequences of a decision before making a decision. The emotional intelligence gurus would probably describe it as responding rather than reacting.
Cheers –
Scott