I Quit my "Safe and Secure," salaried manager position at The Home Depot!
Subtitle: Leaving A Toxic Environment With A Destination of Peace
Why? This Letter of Resignation tells part of the story...
25 March, 2016
[name removed],
I love the associates at Home Depot...all of them from the present all the way back to my original store in Wilmington, North Carolina (Store #3609) where I started in July of 2007 as a Millwork Associate.
I am in deep Gratitude to you for developing me as an ASM, to [name removed] for mentoring me through being a DS into the Leader I am now, to [name removed] and [name removed] while they were DMs in District 30 for having faith in my abilities as a positive force for change in Leadership and placing me on the path of/promoting me to ASM...I could write a book about the positive influences I have experienced in my almost nine years with this company. You are a great Leader, [name removed]...do not let anyone tell you otherwise. May you grow even stronger from where you are now. I am a fan of you and wish you happiness, Peace and long life.
Yet, I am not fully living my purpose. I came to you many months ago with my desire to go back home to the east coast in order to be near my family. I will become a grandfather for the first time in September...my only daughter is pregnant with her first child and she is 3,000 miles from here. You were and still are supportive of my desires for which I am in Gratitude. The LTM position at the SSC, I saw as a way to accomplish both goals...going home and living my purpose more fully than I am now in Ukiah, California. I am in deep Gratitude to the kind HDU Leaders, [names removed] and the others for spending so much of an effort by inviting me to Atlanta for an interview. It was not meant to be and I have no regrets. I remember how kind and supportive you were when I got the call from [name removed] telling me I did not get the position. You showed me a letter from a customer written about how I became her Superman with my customer service. Frank Blake taught us all well and I have faith in Ann Marie Campbell in her abilities to get HD to the next level...I am a big fan of her.
I only seek to be positive and live a life of Peace. Ending up in the Emergency Room because of stress from Home Depot and learning my heart is that of a 25-year-old was a wake-up call as well as the times I passed out from busting my ass for the store and then being told, "Frucci, the associates cannot see you like this." I get that, but where is the compassion for the health of a fellow human being? Also, me getting a death threat from a customer which was determined by the SSC to be credible, is not something I am comfortable living with. I still to this day have to constantly look over my shoulder to make sure nobody is watching or following me. I am in Gratitude to [names removed] for coaching me the day it happened.
I have been told several times while in Ukiah, "Frucci, sometimes you have to be mean." That is diametrically opposed to my core beliefs as a child of God...and I believe we are all children of God or whatever name you wish to give to the spark of eternal Light which gives us each life as human beings. God is not mean, nor can I be. If being mean is a core belief of The Home Depot, then I can no longer be a part of this company. I was not taught to be mean at HDU...just the opposite. Difficult conversations can be couched in a positive manner which I know from experience...it works. Being mean is leading by instilling fear in others. I do not believe that the installation of fear in others is being a leader. The installation of fear is being a dictator.
The "golden handcuffs" of HD stock is not worth living a life close to death's door. Life is meant to be lived in Peace, not war. I do not want to be "handcuffed" to anything and I believe no human does. I Am free. I give no other human or corporation, permission to chain me to anything. I suggest that Home Depot change the way in which the gift of HD stock is pitched to salaried associates. Giving stock is a wonderful thing for the company to do, so why spin negativity around it? "Handcuffing" creates negative imagery.
I do not have another job lined up. I am not seeking employment from any other company. I will be venturing out on my own path which will have nothing to do with a "hard box" retail store. I am an Artist, Published Author (Path of Three Hundred), Professional Speaker (the YPO/WPO invited and paid me to speak in Bermuda about my sailing adventure which is Path of Three Hundred and have listed me as part of their Speakers Bureau) and Coach. I will be continuing to build my brand within those areas of expertise which I have established. In short, I am taking a Leap of Faith with my Purpose of helping my fellow humans from all walks of life to discover their True Self, Passions and Purpose so they can thrive and love living life as we all wish to do. You've seen me in action in the store. When I help our associates, I am happy and in love with life. That is why I became an ASM...money had little to do with that choice. HDU is a powerful asset to Home Depot. I suggest that those Leaders who have not been through it recently, be sent to the SSC for updated training or expand HDU and bring the training to the field.
So, I submit my Resignation from The Home Depot to you. I want to give this to you personally because I respect the chain of command (something I learned early in life from my Marine Corps Fighter Pilot father), which is why I am submitting this to you today. I wanted to give this to you face to face last week, but you were on vacation. My last day in the store must not be any later than April 6, 2016.
I am open to an "Exit Interview" from the SSC if they desire because I do wish Home Depot to thrive and help the hourly associates, salaried managers and support personnel become all they can be. In all of life, there are lessons to be learned...even within the experiences we do not wish to repeat. I can find the positive in everything. If communication is not desired from the SSC, I understand.
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
With respect,
Greg Frucci, SASM
The Total Truth...the good, the bad and the ugly will be the subject of videos, blog posts, and Volume 2 of the "Path of Three Hundred" series of books by me. The working title will be "The Path of Lucky." Lucky is my nine-year-old Shetland Sheepdog...a "Sheltie."
If you wish to keep up to date on the "Journey," become part of my community by clicking the link below...
Lucky wondering about the future...I think dogs wonder.