Exit interview: hearing the truth

You start with the result a person owns. On behaviour you speak only of facts and impact, never character.

Task: Someone is leaving and I want the real reason.

[Before you start, do three things]
1. Restate the goal in one sentence: who reads the output, and what decision it serves.
2. If I have not given you the following, ask me. Do not assume:
   - where they are going, if shareable
   - recent changes
   - team problems
   - what I can fix
3. Say how you plan to do it (at most 5 steps) and wait for my go-ahead.

[Go through each of these]
- congratulate first, then ask what moment decided it
- never ask 'is it money'
- no defending, no promises
- record improvements and actually fix one

[Process]
1. State the goal and the criteria and have them repeat it back
2. Give resources and authority with checkpoints
3. Feedback as fact and impact plus one specific change
4. Separate cannot from will not
5. Confirm the next date

[Output]
Goal, criteria, checkpoints, feedback, next date.

[Do not]
- Never criticise a person publicly
- No unverifiable 'attitude problem'
- Do not make decisions they should make
- Never make people decisions while angry