One of your direct reports isn’t performing up to snuff. You’ve done everything you can think of to help them improve, but you’re not seeing any significant progress. And now you’re agonizing about what to do. Should you fire them? How can you know for sure? Is it better to take swift action? Who else should you consult? And what are the costs of delaying the decision?
How to Decide Whether to Fire Someone
It’s one of the hardest decisions a manager will ever have to make.
January 28, 2019
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Summary.
Deciding whether to fire an employee is hard. The decision is especially tricky if the person hasn’t violated any rules and isn’t egregiously underperforming—but is clearly falling short. Reflection is in order. Think about your company’s future needs, and imagine your perfect team. Is this person on it? If this person told you he was leaving, how much would you fight to keep him? Next, talk to your employee about the root cause of his underperformance. During the conversation, note how defensive he is and whether he blames other people or external events for his failings. Your objective is to determine whether he has the initiative and motivation to improve. If he’s coachable, a development plan could work; if he’s not, take swift action. After all, no manager ever said, “I should have waited a couple of years before I fired that guy.”