Should You Fire Them?

Should you fire talented employees who frequently turn work in
late and call in sick? If you could just get them to start
working on projects sooner, they wouldn’t have to overexert
themselves, wind up sick, and miss another deadline.


 


How about the ones who hoard information and don’t play well with
others? Don’t they understand that the company’s success depends
on a team effort?


 


Of course, there are many reasons to fire an employee, but don’t
make the same mistake Gale almost did.


 


Sitting across from Gale, I listened as she shared a story about
Tammy, a young woman she hired nearly two years earlier.


 


“She was probably at the top of her class in college—she’s smart,
but we can’t seem to get her to complete projects in a timely
manner. I think it’s a cultural thing,” Gale, the CEO of a
well-established company, said.


 


“What do you mean by a ‘cultural thing?’” I asked.


 


“She’s from _____ (another country), and that must be the way
they do things in that culture. She’s probably also still doing
what college kids do—wait till the last minute, and then pull an
all-nighter.”


 


“Is she getting the work done on time?”


 


“No, and the team thinks we need to let her go. If she can’t get
the work done on time, and she’s out sick constantly, we can’t
have her on staff,” Gale said.


 


At this point, I had a clear understanding of the critical
mistakes Tammy was making, and I could see why Gale was
struggling. Tammy also adds value, knows the company, and cares
about the end product.


 


“Have you or anyone on your team ever given her this kind of
feedback?” I asked.


 


“No,” Gale said, with an inquisitive look on her face.


 


“Do you know her future goals?” I asked.


 


“When Tammy first came to the company, she wanted to do the work
she’s currently doing.”


 


I suggested she get the answers to these questions before giving
her feedback:


 
How are things going for you here? (Listen intently. Then,
without defensiveness, repeat back what you heard to make sure you
got it. Take notes.) Do you have the skills you need to do your job
successfully every time? (Listen, and take notes). Are you meeting
the people you hoped to meet, developing the skills you hoped to
develop, and enjoying your experience here? If not, how can I help?
(Listen, and take notes. Stay focused on listening.) If you closed
your eyes right now, and it was suddenly three years down the road,
what would you like to be able to say you did? What skills,
experiences, and connections would you like to acquire in the next
six months? (Listen, and take lots of notes. Even “I don’t know” is
worth noting. Follow it up with, “If you did know…”) What do you do
exceptionally well in your current role? Where do you struggle the
most and why? (Please… Listen, and take notes. Assumptions kill
these conversations.)

 


Once you’ve had this conversation authentically, you’ll know what
you need to do to help employees succeed in their career.


 


For Gale, that may mean helping her find an opportunity with
another employer. Or, Tammy may respond positively to the wake-up
call and start completing her work on time.


 


After going through the questions above, you’ll have the
foundation of trust necessary to provide guidance that gets
results. Here are the three most critical elements to giving
constructive feedback: consistently seek it (receiving teaches
you how to give generously), timeliness (providing feedback as
close to the problematic moment as possible builds trust), and
specificity (what you did, and what you could do differently).


 


Whatever you do, don’t fire someone until you 1) know the answers
to those questions, 2) help them advance in their career, and 3)
share your own future aspirations and challenges. This is the
good stuff of any relationship.


 


Here’s to Your Greatness,


 


Misti Burmeister


 


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