Corporate Lessons Learnt!My face-to-face Classic situation during the 37 years in corporate life: ‘How do we handle Resignation?’ Same situation in two organizations : Script in both was same to the tee. My voice reproduced it twice in a span of 6 years in two different industry.Organization 1: A Senior Head of a Specialty department put in his papers. The MD called me to try and talk to him and retain him since I was the Head of HR. I did. He declined. I gave this feedback to my boss. I was asked to put in harder efforts. The first one was not hard enough, so my boss felt. So I made yet another valiant effort. This time to be told by the employee, “even if you talk to me 20 times I am not going to take back my resignation”. He also told me he didn’t have a job in hand but is likely to get one soon. I again parroted this feedback to my boss. Seeing my ‘incapability to handle such complex situation’ and create a role model situation he made the epoch attempt, himself.What transpired in the cabin was unknown to me but known to the two of them (sorry Johari bhai!). Tongue in cheek and a wink in my eyes I triumphantly approached my boss to check the consequence of the dialogue since a day had already passed after his attempt. No response. I understood. So I asked the employee himself. He said. “Of course it is NO. Just because he talks to me am I going to withdraw my resigning. Stupid” !Lesson: Bosses think they have better competencies than you.I was summoned by my boss, a few days later. He told me I have to retain him at any cost since he has basic, fundamental and latest Technological knowledge, and skills in our industry. If he goes to competition it would be disastrous. I differed with him. “So what, let him leave. He will join the competition and mess it up. The culture prevailing in the competition is different from ours. A successful guy with us need not necessarily be successful elsewhere”. My boss started star gazing on my Gyan! There was nothing stupendous in my Gyan; it was just a repetition of what has been often heard in the corporate corridors and was being enacted live here.While the story took twists and turns the employee resigned. Left and sure…joined competition. My boss said “see I told you”.Six months later: With a clean heart, cunning smile on my cheeks and a politically motivated intent, I told my boss “He has left the competition.” “Why” , my boss asked.” “He couldn’t fit in culturally there” I proclaimed with a sparkle in my eyes. “Hehehe, I knew it”, said my boss. I was speechless !!!!!!!!Further Lessons learnt: 1) Don’t stumble if your boss offers the same Gyan to you that you gave him earlier. 2) Why do we get paranoid when people leave? 3) Why do we get paranoid when people leave and join competition?  4) Why do bosses attempt to do what an HR guy didn’t do?PS: In the first organization, a successor was promoted to the position and went on to prove himself, even better. In the second organization candidate was sourced from outside - a Senior Expert from an associated industry but not the same. Ditto. He did well too..