 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Our
passion is helping executives and their organizations achieve their
goals in less time, with greater satisfaction, now and for the future.
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
December,
2009 Welcome
to Leadership Hand™, a monthly e-newsletter 1. People Fire Themselves It was one of those conversations--one occurring in a completely different setting with someone you have only just met. "You need to relax for this test," Debbie, the sonographer, told me. I had worked until 9:00 P.M. the night before and started again at 4:00 A.M. Oh yes, that--and handled a difficult situation an hour before my appointment. I sighed and said, "I know. I just fired someone." She said she understood, that she used to be a manager. Then a beautiful pearl fell from her mouth. "People fire themselves." A series of critical performance failures in quick succession made the decision to fire this employee clear. However, firing someone well-intentioned, nice, and with a family to support had me twisting and turning in discomfort. When I heard Debbie's words, it laid something to rest within me. Do you have an employee you are considering firing? In many cases the decision can be cut and dried, the firing almost surgical because the incidents precipitating the decision are obvious and serious performance failures. For other cases, it is less clear. The thought of firing the person may have crossed your mind, but you kept trying to help the person succeed. Often you finally reach your tipping point after a steady accumulation of incidents. (One writer says that if the thought of firing someone has come to mind, that is the time to fire the person. This philosophy can help us take action more quickly and without the tendency many people have to let things drag on.) While firing is neither easy for most of us nor done lightly, it is useful to ask ourselves if the performance standards were clear, if they were understood, and if the employee was provided with timely feedback and opportunity to correct his or her behavior. Did we create an environment conducive to his or her success and provide sufficient resources? Depending on your responses to these questions, is there an additional action or set of actions to take? As leaders, we also ask ourselves about the risk our company incurs if we keep the employee versus letting the employee go. We consider the consequences to our own relationship capital with internal and external stakeholders if the person has high visibility and authority, and where our judgment may be called into question. If you have
done your due diligence with respect to the employee and still feel
that emotional unease, consider Debbie's pearl: "People fire
themselves." When you come to an integrated recognition both
logically and emotionally about others' role in their own firing,
your gut will let the worrying part of your mind off the hook--a
service to you and to the one you fire. Though not comfortable,
your conversation will come from a place of resolve rather than
fear, and that will leave the possibility for a difficult conversation
conducted with grace. Beth Hand
© Copyright 2009, Beth Hand. Beth Hand, MBA helps leaders and organizations increase their effectiveness and satisfaction, now and for the future. She can be reached at (+1) 703.820.8018 or via her website www.leadershiphand.com. 2. Reprint Permission This is a copyrighted publication. You are welcome to reprint an issue on a non-exclusive basis provided you:
3. Subscribe and Privacy Click here to subscribe. To unsubscribe click on the link below. We value your privacy. We never redistribute, rent or sell your information to anyone or any entity. We invite you to forward this issue to your colleagues. |
|
© Copyright 2009, Hand Associates and Beth Hand • All Rights Reserved Hand
Associates, LLC Leadership
Coaching & Development |
|