Starting working relationships with an end date in mind

When I started LetMeGo back in 2008, I decided that I would simultaneously conduct an experiment.  For this new venture, I would hire new team members in a relatively unique way: by setting an end date for our agreement right from the start. In practice, this meant that the hiring process inevitably includes a chat during which the new team member and I would discuss the amount of time we wanted to work together. In each case, we write down a specific date, and the agreement is executed when due.

There is, in fact, logic behind this technique. as I explained in a short message that I shared with my team a couple of weeks ago:

With most members of the team, we have negotiated an end date to our working agreement. The length of the agreements have varied from six months to five years.

Why do we do this? Most of you know the answers:

I think that companies are tools to achieve professional, financial, and human growth. Nevertheless, there is usually a limit in the amount of stuff you can learn while performing any given role, as well as the motivation and energy that you can put into it. As a consequence, I think that in most cases there should also be a limit in the number of years each person performs a role.

In addition, I think that none of these subjects should be secretive or should be a taboo: switching teams, moving from one company to another, quitting and starting your own business, etc. All of them can be openly discussed as all of them may help you grow. By forcing a deadline in your existing role with the team, we promote the open discussion of these alternatives.

Please note that the agreements are flexible. At any time, you or your team leader can start a conversion regarding an extension of the agreement. Here are some tips I suggest you take into account, whether as a leader, or as a team member:

• The topic of the agreement end dates should never be a taboo or a secret. Be open about it. All others should know it.
• Remember to discuss the end dates of the agreement whenever you or a member of your team assumes a new role.
• Don’t wait until the very end of the agreement to discuss opportunities to extend it. The sooner, the better.
• Agreements should only be extended if both the team member and the team leader believe that it may be a good idea to extend the end date.
• Don’t freak out when someone leaves the team. After all, people joining and leaving the team is the idea! I want to force that situation to happen, along with all the consequences it brings as described above.

Here are two examples:

German joined the team in March 2008. We agreed on working together for three years until March 2011. When the LetMeGo Immersion happened, we agreed on reducing the agreement by six months in exchange for him participating in it. The new end date was September 2010. At the end of last year we agreed to extend our agreement until December of this year.

Treeny joined the team in July 2009. We agreed on working together for one year until July 2010. A couple of months ago she assumed new responsibilities as a manager. When she assumed the new role we extended our agreement for five years, until the year 2015.

If you have questions or ideas, please let me know.

BTW, we will be updating the LetMeGo Intranet to list the end dates of the agreements of each member of the team.

Picture by emma.kate.