Everyone has people working for them that shouldn’t be – it’s your responsibility to free them from their own failure. When done properly, terminating an employee is not a traumatic experience. I believe that when I have somebody sitting across my desk, and then they walk out of this building, they’re either going to be a marketing AMBASSADOR or a marketing ASSASSIN for me and my company. And I don’t want this guy to go out there badmouthing me, my employees, or my business. So I have to end this favorably. You’re not firing what was done today, you’re firing for what you anticipate will happen TOMORROW.
The decision to fire employees should typically not be based on a singular act (unless it’s truly terrible and deliberate), but on a PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR. Rather than advocating a “three strikes and you’re out” approach, I think that a manager needs to be aware of when employees either lack the DESIRE to take advantage of opportunities given to them or are being DECEITFUL in some way.
It comes down to reading your employee’s CHARACTER, because mistakes are unavoidable. When there’s an incident at one of my companies or one I’m working with, I’ll discuss it with the employee involved. I’ll look into their eyes to read their intent and to see if their transgression was not done deliberately, and if they intend to learn from their error.
But when there’s a situation where an employee’s personality has revealed itself to simply not fit within an organization and is holding the company back from its potential, then it’s time to let them go. So typically I’ll bring them in and I’ll say, “Listen, this isn’t working out for you. Everybody is great at certain things and this is not what you’re good at, and as an end result, you’re holding yourself back. You’ll never get ahead in this job and I’ll never put you ahead in this job. The best thing that I can do for you right now is to let you go so that you can find something where you will do great.”
And I’ll get them to agree with me on that. By framing the termination as something that is mutually beneficial, it allows them to end the meeting with a friendly handshake or embrace.
Read the full article on Business Insider: ‘Bar Rescue’ host Jon Taffer explains how to fire someone so they don’t hate you