The best resignation letters are short and to the point. Unless of course, it's your intent to pull down the entire house of cards behind you, just for kicks. In that case, you might want to follow the example in the just released Karen Handel resignation letter
Dear Ambassador Brinker:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure has been the recognized leader for more 30 years in the fight against breast cancer here in the US – and increasingly around the world.
That is until the unfortunate events of the past week, where we pulled the pin on the pink grenade and
splattered ourselves across the Internet in a brand melt-down that will be the subject of business school analysis for decades to come.
As you know, I have always kept Komen’s mission and the women we serve as my highest priority – as they have been for the entire organization, the Komen Affiliates, our many supporters and donors, and the entire community of breast cancer survivors.
Victims, not so much. Yeah, we could have focused more on a cure, but these things take time. It was much more important to keep growing our operations and coloring the world pink so that we could keep everyone's attention on the need to find a cure. Everyone's attention but Komen's, anyway...
I have carried out my responsibilities faithfully and in line with the Board’s objectives and the direction provided by you and Liz.
So it’s YOUR fault, ladies. I was
just following orders. Hmmm… where have I heard that phrase before? Well, nevermind…
We can all agree that this is a challenging and deeply unsettling situation for all involved in the fight against breast cancer.
Why, it’s even a “challenging and deeply unsettling situation” for me! Imagine how this has affected my future employment options. Those pesky left-wing bloggers have torn my reputation to shreds. I’ve developed carpal tunnel from responding to so many tweets. Think about ME for a moment, will ya?!
However, Komen’s decision to change its granting strategy and exit the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood and its grants was fully vetted by every appropriate level within the organization.
Again, I was just following orders. You really should have been more vigilant.
At the November Board meeting, the Board received a detailed review of the new model and related criteria. As you will recall, the Board specifically discussed various issues, including the need to protect our mission by ensuring we were not distracted or negatively affected by any other organization’s real or perceived challenges. No objections were made to moving forward.
Hey, you had your chance. Nobody said anything.
Silence equals agreement, right?
I am deeply disappointed by the gross mischaracterizations of the strategy, its rationale, and my involvement in it.
Well, I’m really only disappointed in this last bit.
I openly acknowledge my role in the matter and continue to believe our decision was the best one for Komen’s future and the women we serve. However, the decision to update our granting model was made before I joined Komen, and the controversy related to Planned Parenthood has long been a concern to the organization.
Did I mention that this was no fault of mine?
Neither the decision nor the changes themselves were based on anyone’s political beliefs or ideology.
No, of course not. If it happens to align perfectly with anyone’s political beliefs or ideology, that’s a total coincidence, and it certainly wasn’t by design… Unless it’s some divine sign that we just happened to be right…
Rather, both were based on Komen’s mission and how to better serve women, as well as a realization of the need to distance Komen from controversy. I believe that Komen, like any other nonprofit organization, has the right and the responsibility to set criteria and highest standards for how and to whom it grants.
Yes, absolutely -
metrics are everything. Just look around in corporate America - they've set metrics for everything. We have to set high standards for how well any group meets their mission objectives. Just because breast cancer incidence has increased from
one in nine women when Komen was launched to one in eight now is no reason to abandon the idea of criteria and high standards.
What was a thoughtful and thoroughly reviewed decision – one that would have indeed enabled Komen to deliver even greater community impact – has unfortunately been turned into something about politics. This is entirely untrue
.
It was totally about politics. I mean… that’s why you brought me in, right? I wasn’t exactly a political unknown to you. But I get it. Now you want to wash your hands of me and you know what, that’s fine. My work here is done.
This development should sadden us all greatly.
It should, but it kinda doesn’t. I’m off to do more of the same and bring down some other iconic organization, while you nitwits scurry around unable to find your ass with both hands and a flashlight in the midst of this crisis.
Just as Komen’s best interests and the fight against breast cancer have always been foremost in every aspect of my work, so too are these my priorities in coming to the decision to resign effective immediately. While I appreciate your raising a possible severance package, I respectfully decline.
But I did want to mention the severance thing so that your donors can see how you throw money at absolutely anything other than finding a cure for breast cancer.
It is my most sincere hope that Komen is allowed to now refocus its attention and energies on its mission.
As long as the mission is shutting down an organization who shook down millions, used and abused the trust of breast cancer victims and their families, politicized women’s health care, and destroyed their brand.
Sincerely,
Yeah. Right. Please pound enclosed sand.