It’s Not Easy to Say Goodbye: Exploring the Exit Process in Faith-Based Organizations

Abstract

This study explored, through a descriptive research design, the communication processes involved in faith-based organizational exit. Utilizing the assumptions of Jablin’s (2001) phasic model of exit, (i.e. preannouncement, announcement and actual exit, and postexit), this study identified the verbal communication and nonverbal communication exhibited by leavers, the communicative interventions employed by other members, and postexit communication changes. Online in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 former leavers who voluntarily left different Christian faith-based organizations, and were examined through thematic analysis. Findings revealed several written and spoken verbal communicative practices present in the three phases of exit communicated to both FBO members and nonmembers (i.e. seeking advice, casual venting out, discussing common ground, initial announcements, making excuses, exit announcements, and recollection of events). Leavers also exhibited nonverbal cues that showed their intention to leave such as a decline in participation, deviation, and going to other FBOs. There were communicative interventions employed by other members varying from a discrete to a direct manner, in the forms of checking-ins, confrontations, faith-based interventions, and reaching out through other people. Communication between leavers and stayers also changed after exit, either total cut-off, retainment, or it became situational. This study showed the applicability of Jablin’s (2001) assumptions to FBOs but also revealed new communication processes suggesting a difference in exit from traditional organizations and faith-based organizations.