aka, “the hardest thing you’ll ever do as a manager.” First are some tips on salvaging an underperformer. Then some tips on how to fire.
How Do You Fire an Employee That (sic) Just Isn’t Good Enough? - by Michael O. Church. Takeaway: “The best employees are multipliers who make others more productive, and next are the adders (workhorses). Subtractors are the good-faith incompetents who cost more than they bring. Dividers are the worst kind of problem employee: They bring the whole team (or company) down.” Simplified as Multipliers/Adders/Subtractors/Dividers.
How to Terminate an Employee without Breaking their Spirit - by Dick Grote. Includes a checklist of questions the candidate will likely ask; come prepared with answers.
Letting Someone Go With Dignity - by Rebekah Campbell. Takeaway: Let people save face, don’t procrastinate, stick to any agreements, be clear about what happens next; announce it to the team together and let them say goodbye. Some good advice, though we’re not sure you should go out for drinks with the person you just fired in every situation.
The Right Way to Fire Someone - by Rebecca Knight. Takeaway: Don’t drag your feet; make HR your ally; keep it short; stay in the room; show compassion; talk to your team; and focus on the future.
Why Firing Brilliant Assholes Is Required to Build a Great Engineering Culture - by Joe Stump (transcript by First Round). Takeaway: “Do not send a recruiter to do an engineer’s job. It’s the job of founders and CTOs to be personally involved in the recruiting of the first 30 to 40 team members. Once you identify a great engineer, send your very best engineering employee who’s personable to go after the person (this could be you). Make sure this individual can speak the candidate’s language and pitch them on the things that actually matter.” And cultivate culture through communication.
You Fired Your Top Talent. I Hope You’re Happy. - by Tony Robinson. Takeaway: If management is complacent, absent or enabling, then expect to cultivate so-called rockstars who will create friction and work in isolation. You can fire the rockstars, but what about fixing the management that created the conditions for dysfunction?