How to Fire Someone
Of all the tough conversations you might have with a team member, this one might be the worst: “You’re fired.”
As a leader and a manager, the time is going to come when you’re going to have to let someone go. And it’s going to suck.
First, a few words on the decision to fire someone: No one has ever been fired too early. The fact that you’re thinking about letting an individual go in the first place means that it’s time (actually, it probably means that it’s past time). What’s more, if you’re thinking about firing someone and delaying taking action, you’re not giving them promotions, expanded responsibilities, growth opportunities, or other resources. That means the person you’re letting go has things to contribute that you’re not giving them the chance to do.
Once you’ve made the decision to fire someone, the key to doing it successfully and empathetically comes in the preparation.
How to emotionally prep:
Remember your responsibility to your high performers. If they’re being honest, they’ll probably tell you that one of the hardest parts of their job – the part that requires an outsized amount of their time and energy – is cleaning up after the people who are underperforming (in their work, attitude, or interactions). Firing someone who needs to be let go protects the people in your organization who bring real value.
Remember that you’re protecting the culture of your organization. The reality is that if you’re allowing poor attitudes or performance to continue unchecked, that is the culture of your business. Ultimately, you’re firing someone for the rest of the company. It’s your responsibility to reinforce your standard of excellence and to protect your company’s culture.
Done right, firing someone is the end of a journey. Ideally, this conversation is the last of a long series of caring conversations with the person you’re letting go, not an overnight decision that hits them from left field. This isn’t a performance improvement plan, necessarily (although that could be a component), but a series of real, caring conversations with the goal of getting this person back on track. If you’ve given them multiple opportunities to do that and they’ve continued to fail, ending the professional relationship is inevitable.
How to logistically prep:
Plan what you’re going to say beforehand. Specifically, consider writing it out – you want to make sure you say the right things in a compassionate, caring way while still being direct.
Write out some answers to FAQs so you’re prepared to respond to what you think the other person’s response will be and questions you expect them to have.
The conversation:
If you’ve done the preparation above, actually having the conversation should be relatively straightforward. Lead with the headline. Be direct, say the things that you need to say, and finish the conversation quickly.
It sucks and it never gets easier. But if you prepare well, you can do it effectively and compassionately while protecting your organization.
For more on tough conversation, read our tactical guide.
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