I need help passing on a project

[ssmjlm]

This is sort of @ related, but also something I'm sure will come up again.

I've been the main POC on a large dollar, high visibility projects for over 2 years.  It's my work baby.  The customer and I have been through a lot together.

Seriously DH and I even planned TTC around this project b/c of what it would do for me professionally.

And now, I have to give it up for 12 weeks while I'm out on ML.  They want me to give it to a girl who has no experience with something like this.

I'm panicking.  I'm working now to have all the paperwork done so hopefully all she has to do is some very minimal stuff and my customer doesn't get upset.  My customer has already asked if I can telework a bit b/c I come back right before busy season.


Help me let it go.  I'm seriously sort of panicked about it.

[ellipses84]

I agree with Sue Sue. I really felt like you do when I went on Maternity leave, I cut my leave short and was interrupted with work a few times. Now I regret it and wish I had done what was best for me. It sounds like you've done as much as you can. Everyone knows it is only temporary, so even if the new girl isn't great, the client knows you are coming back and you will seem even more awesome. My only suggestion is if you have bosses, that they are prepped to check up on her and intervene if they need to.

[mlvmd]

I believe we are in the same field so I completely understand what you are going through. I don't know if II could give up my big project for 12 weeks. It takes so long for the customer to finally trust you that it would be terrible if that was set back. I was fortunate that I happened to be moving offices (same agency) and yes, timed my pregnancy accordingly. That was three years ago. I know it's what you want, but I don't think I could go 12 weeks without doing work where I am now. I can't even go a long weekend without it really. So, no real advice, just commiseration.

[Deleted]

I have the same concerns but as my due date approaches I have decided I need to just let stuff go. Try to get the person who is replacing you as much info as you can to enable her to do a good job and maybe pull in a backup in case she has questions. Also I wish i would have gotten my replacement working on the project earlier. I just handed everything over only about a week ago and really wish i could have had an extra 2 weeks on top of that just for my own sanity. It was hard for me to give up control though and allow other people to do something I thought was my responsibility. So my only advice is you need to figure out how to let it go and you should try to do it sooner than later. Its hard though and I feel your pain.

[ssmjlm]

I actually went and talked to my mentor at work yesterday and some other senior people who were very helpful in saying take the time off, I've done my part and all I can do is prepare now so there's less hiccups.

There is another team member who can backup the new girl and he knows his stuff.

I've explained to my customer that I've been planning a 12 week mat leave and plan to be gone that long. They are just used to me being available.

[vanillacourage]

Jan 31, 2013 13:15:47 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

LET. GO.

It's going to be fine. I swear. And if you say they can call you, they'll call you all the time, and it'll be when you're sobbing, with three hours of sleep in two days, and a screaming baby on your lap, with squirting nipples, and they'll want you to do JUST A LITTLE BIT and you'll break down crying and feel like an insane woman.

Come back on your first day back from maternity leave. Not One Minute Earlier.

Agree.

When I went on ML I left step-by-step instructions for common procedures, including screen shots, to dummy-proof it as much as possible.  I held in-person trainings, and before-hand I emailed out those step-by-step instructions and copied my boss, making my boss aware that if they wanted to be cross-trained they were welcome to come to the sessions I conducted.  Basically, I set it up that if they didn't know how to do XYZ before I left, it was their fault.

Did some things get missed?  Yes - but nothing really important.  And bonus - boy were they glad to see me when I got back! 

ETA - I did skim through work email every few days the last few weeks of my leave.  I did NOT tell anyone I was doing it, so that nobody would have an expectation of me responding, but that way I could catch if something was really going off-course (which it wasn't).