Messages: from another dimension

Just as physical and organizational relationships can set the agenda for the communication that does take place, the absence of communication can be equally meaningful. One of the things I've observed after working at various companies is that you can usually figure out whether an executive quit, or was fired, by the communication , or lack of, that follows. If the executive gets a catered sendoff, complete with the obligatory fluff piece in the company news letter, it means he/she left on good terms (for more money). On the other hand if you only find out that a department head is gone when their name is no longer in the email directory, you know they were probably "escorted" out. Corporate etiquette gets tricky in the case of terminated executives too high on the organizational ladder, not to be acknowledged. In those cases, you get the email that says: XYZ has resigned their position "to pursue other opportunities."