New Way to Fire Can Be More Loving. Here’s How!

If You Are a Leader or Manager of People, This Blog Is for You (and your staff)

During my 30+ year career as a CEO, my COO’s and I had the tough job of firing people. There were many reasons that led to these tough decisions, but it was usually due to poor hiring decisions on my part with one other weakness of mine mentioned later in this paragraph. We spent a lot of time interviewing, testing and outlining job duties and culture. In fact, my most recent COO and I spent three hours in the last interview of senior candidates. We used industrial psychologists, potential personal developmental plans, and everything we could think of for success. Looking back, I think my biggest failure in people was me - not holding my managers and other people accountable to the extent I should have. 

Now as a Career Coach, I realize that firing does not have to be a bad thing. In fact, there is a way to do it that is loving and can glorify God. Sadly, in my consulting and coaching, I see non-profits and churches very reluctant to fire. Unfortunately, that can be one of the worst things to do as a manager who cares about people. Before I get to the new way to fire, I need to explain why not firing people can be cruel.

Why Not Firing Can Be Cruel 

Other employees see the below-average performance and wonder whether they need to work as hard as they do if Joe still has his job. Standards start declining to the lowest common denominator. The people you want to keep are the most likely to quit and can take clients with them. You may have asked them what additional resources they need in order to be performing at a higher standard but implementing the new resources did not help. It’s time or way past time to make the tough decision to fire.

Firing Rule #1: Nobody should be surprised at being fired. There should be clear conversations along the way of sub-par performance.

Firing Rule #2: It is cruel to let people twist in the wind. You may be thinking the employee doesn’t realize he is in trouble. Even if you are a poor a manger, the employee and those who work with him know the situation is not good. You as manager are losing the respect of the others you manage. It’s time to make the firing decision and implement it if they don’t quit before you get there, and the fired employee can stop wondering when they will be fired.

How to Fire with Kindness

First, be prepared with the documentation your labor lawyer has told you to keep on employees and their reviews. Second, know what you are going to say. Third, have someone else with you to take notes, and hopefully they have been in prior and recent meetings. Fourth, have a severance package designed with employee benefits and COBRA, if applicable, information and forms.

Fifth is the surprise and loving add-on. Tell the person being fired that they do have aptitudes and talents that they can use better elsewhere. Say that you would like to help them have a vision of what could be so they can more easily leave what has been. You would like to pay for a personalized and private career assessment to see where they fit best and can thrive. It uses the latest and best science available today.

Also, if they would like or need it, you will pay $xxx for Career Coaching during which they will go through the assessment with a coach to harvest the best results contained in it. You want them to have the best transition to their new job/career as possible. Last, you have an agreement that you would like them to review and sign. It’s the form your lawyer has for firing situations these days.

How Will They React? 

One employee I helped find a new career was struggling in a high position at my company. However, we worked together to find a career for him given his aptitudes, skills & personality. He ended up at a non-profit, had a wonderful and impactful career benefitting our community, and recently retired. He and I remained friends, have lunch together from time to time, and he could not be more thankful that he was fired and helped transition. See – firing can be very positive.

Any Other Reasons to Offer a Career Assessment to Those You Fire?

If you want more reasons for why this is a good thing to do as a Christian leader, here you go:

1. You will have helped people uniquely designed by God get on the path that the Lord has made for them.
2. Your staff will be thankful that you finally took care of this situation and will stop talking about it among themselves and wasting company time hurting productivity.
3. You will show your other employees that you are compassionate in the toughest times and in the toughest situations. That’s a morale raiser.
4. You will be viewed as a better manager who holds people accountable, but not unreasonably so.
5. The fired employees may talk about the Career Coaching & Assessment you offered and how much it helped them. This will improve your reputation and brand.
6. You will be a better steward of the resources that God has given you.
7. Your peacefulness from this action will be a comfort.
8. They will be less likely to sue the company and you.
9. Your boss will be impressed by your decisions.

Conclusion 

Firing with a Career Assessment and Coaching can turn a possibly traumatic situation into a positive and life changing one for all involved. While there are many benefits to doing this, the biggest is that, with the proper motives, your decision glorified God, and people see Christ in you. Join other Christian business leaders in considering this approach.

Charlie Haines

[email protected]

Per research, only 13% of employees are engaged at work. A personalized career plan may help you avoid this statistic and idols at work.