There is a lot of weight attached to firing, both for the person doing the firing and for the person being fired. I have been on both sides of that equation, and I am honestly not sure which is worse.
It is a shame really, because we have made firing mean so much more than it has to. We have equated it to being a bad employee, and we make sure we do not have to hire such employees by asking for full disclosure on applications and in interviews if a person has ever done the worst professional thing they could possibly do- get fired. A large scarlet F for failure.
As the fired, we too often and too easily allow it to destroy our self-worth and define our identity. Many of us experience great shame and sometimes depression as a result. Even worse, we try and keep our secret, unaware that many of the people we know have experienced the same thing but are equally ashamed to discuss it. We wonder how we will ever recover.
THE TRUTH ABOUT FIRING
The truth is, people get fired every day for all kinds of reasons, some of which are egregious on the part of the employee, some of which are relatively minor and some which are no fault of their own. Many times it is the organization who commits the egregious. There is no shortage of toxic bosses, discrimination, and unethical practices on the firing side. People are messy, relationships are complicated, and organizations are flawed. Firing happens for good reasons, bad reasons, and everything in between.
Some organizations are too quick to fire, and many others are far too slow. Others still are reluctant to fire anyone out of fear, loyalty or a healthy appreciation of its gravity. In my 20+ years of work experience, I have witnessed far more instances of organizations being too slow rather than too quick to fire (though the latter most certainly happens). When they finally do make the difficult decision to fire someone, they almost always wish they had done it sooner.
Despite a lack of open discussion, getting fired is fairly common. A rough approximation of 20 million people are fired in the U.S. every year for reasons great and small, some justified, others not. Understanding this can and should help us view firing in an entirely different way, not as the worst thing that can happen to someone, but as a common occurrence that often means nothing at all and from which many can and do bounce back just fine.
“BUT THEY HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING WRONG”
In my work supporting new and aspiring leaders, we spend a great deal of time discussing their challenges with their respective employees. The most common scenario we discuss is supervising an employee who “is doing their job” but who is causing all kinds of problems and headaches while doing so.
You know this kind of employee. Right now you may be supervising one, working with one or you may be one (ask those around you to be sure). This kind of employee completes their tasks as expected but while doing so, is unpleasant and difficult to work with. Their attitude is a constant source of frustration and they consistently harm team morale.
Managers, especially new ones, feel stuck when it comes to these kinds of employees, believing they cannot fire them because technically, “they are doing their job,” or so I am told over and over again. I then try to make my case, as I will attempt to do here, that this person is not in fact doing their job and in many cases, should be fired.
CASE #1 FOR FIRING COMPETENT PEOPLE
Doing your job is much more than checking off tasks on a to-do list (or a catchy slogan for my beloved New England Patriots). Doing your job means being a team player, building relationships and helping to move the organization forward. When someone does not do these things, it can be just as damaging if not more so, than not completing the tasks on their proverbial checklist. Your job as team leader is to lead a team that is healthy and productive. If you have someone on the team who is jeopardizing that, they are not doing their job, and you are not doing yours by ignoring it.
Of course, the case for firing this type of employee is tricky because it is more subjective. It is far easier to quantify how many times someone turns their reports in late or how many widgets they are short in making. Documenting incidents when someone is being a royal pain in the ass is far more subjective.
Just as it is easier to document tasks done or not done, it is far easier to help someone improve in the area of skills or knowledge. It is much more challenging and subjective to work with someone on improving their attitude or relationships. This does not mean you should not try through. People can surprise you, and some are willing and able to make the necessary changes. When they can do the tasks of the job well, it is worth investing time to give them that opportunity. The challenge, as with many parts of managing, is in the balance. How much investment is worthwhile and how much is simply too much?
The answer to this question is rarely clear, but what is clear is that having the same conversations over and over again without anything changing is a colossal waste of time. In these cases, you need to decide if you are okay tolerating the behavior, in which case you need to stop discussing it, or you need to make the difficult decision of letting that person go.
Either way it is important to remember that your staff are also experiencing the repercussions of this difficult employee, and they are watching to see what you are going to do about it. Continuing to employ someone who is making everyone else’s lives more difficult can result in other staff leaving or even worse, staying but checking out.
CASE #2 TO FIRE COMPETENT PEOPLE
My second case for firing competent people is when the employee is doing their job both in terms of tasks and in how they show up and contribute to the overall organization, but for any number of reasons, in any number of ways, are just not fit.
This is another tricky scenario because it is also subjective. Again, it is far more challenging to document and pinpoint it, but that does not mean it should prevent you from firing this person. Holding onto this type of person can cause just as much damage as holding onto to someone who is not doing their job or who has a bad attitude. Not every firing needs to be the result of something egregious. Sometimes it is just not a professional fit through and no one has done anything wrong.
So, what does it mean to not be a good fit? It will depend on the particulars of the situation, but it does not mean someone who simply questions and challenges others and their ideas- you need these folks! It does not mean someone who does not attend after work happy hours. Instead, it means someone who has talents, vision, values, goals, working style, etc. that do not match the vision, values and working style of the team. This person may be determined to take the team in a direction it is not designed to go. Or they may be a fabulous independent worker on a team that collaborates as a rule. Or they may have amazing skills but those skills do not translate to the role they are in. It does not mean this person is doing anything wrong, but that they are the wrong fit for what you need.
Firing this type of person can feel uncomfortable and unnecessary because they have so much to offer. But if they are not able to offer what you need, it is your job to find someone who can. This is as much for your team as it is for the person who in most cases is also aware that it is just not a good fit.
DEALING WITH THE SUBJECTIVITY
The challenge with firing competent people is the justification and documentation of it. Infractions like “wants to go in their own direction” and “singlehandedly caused Donna to quit” are impossible to prove. It is a tougher case to make, and this is a good thing. You want to make sure you are always being thoughtful about every decision you make including the important one of letting someone go.
Subjectivity lends itself to all kinds of bias- unconscious or otherwise- and it is essential that you are both aware of this and willing to confront it. Is this person actually difficult to work with or am I stereotyping them based on their race or gender? When I say they are not a cultural fit, is this code language for any number of -isms?
What about your ego? Are your reasons for wanting to fire this employee for the betterment of the team or are they personal? Are you threatened by their talent? Are you offended that they challenge you?
These questions can be hard to answer on your own. Who can you consult to help you discern? Talk through your concerns with your own supervisor, your coach, or a trusted colleague, and listen to their perspectives. When you are in the middle of it, it is impossible to see the bigger picture. Consider alternative viewpoints and allow yourself to be challenged by the difficult questions.
FIRING WELL
Firing is never easy and should be a last resort. Commit to doing everything you can you can to avoid it. Hire well and support your team well. Have consistent, open, and honest communication to make sure you and your staff are on the same page about their performance. If they are not meeting expectations, let them know that. If they are in danger of being fired, tell them. Be clear about what they need to do to improve. Give them what they need, including time, to get there. Too often, these conversations are happening about the employee but without the employee. Involve them in the process and give them the chance to decide how they will proceed.
If after open discussion and careful reflection you make the decision to fire someone, make sure you do so with integrity (and of course legally). Whatever your personal feelings are towards this person and regardless of the discomfort, it is important to remember that this is a human being who is experiencing something they have been led to believe is one of the worst things that can happen to them. Do not make it worse, do not make it personal and do not make it about you. Continue to exhibit empathy and do all you can to make the process as palatable as possible. When I was let go, one of the only things my boss said was, “This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.” Frankly, my dear reader, I did not give a damn.
In the case of someone who is a great employee but is not a great fit for what your team needs, try to find other positions or departments that may suit them better. If you cannot make this happen and ultimately decide to fire them, do all you can to make that transition as easy as possible for them. Help them prepare for their next steps, connect them with other organizations who may be a better fit, and offer to be a referral. Make sure they leave their employment reassured and ready for what lies ahead.
IF YOU GET FIRED
If you are the one being fired, allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, but not too negatively and not for too long. It may feel like the end of the world, or at least your professional one, but it most certainly does not have to be. Lots of people, including yours truly, bounce back and do just fine. It does not define who you are as a person, and it does not need to define your future. You do. You can. And I am confident that you will!
