Saying Goodbye to an Executive (Insider Comms From IMAX)

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Last year IMAX Entertainment CEO Rich Gelfond sent a memo announcing the resignation of Megan Colligan, the company’s president for a few short years (she joined in 2019).

• Gelfond’s goodbye note is sincere, professional, and full of praise.

• It’s also about as warm as fifteen-minute-old bath water.

If I were Colligan I’d copy/paste the memo to my LinkedIn profile’s about section because it mostly lists win after win. Gelfond does more than issue generic platitudes (e.g., moved our company in a new strategic direction); he lays out specific accomplishments that show how Colligan positively affected the company.

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Compare IMAX’s memo to:

• When the CCO(!) Steps Down (Insider Comms From Warner Bros. Discovery) (🔒)

• A CEO Says Goodbye (Insider Comms From YouTube) (🔒)

• Insider Comms is a series that shows how other corporate comms professionals communicate with their audiences—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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Here are five ways to add heat to Gelfond’s lukewarm memo:

• Personal reflection: While the message is warm, it could benefit from a personal anecdote about Gelfond’s relationship with Colligan, which could add emotional heft.