Four Questions for when you Wonder: Should I Fire this Person?

There comes a time in every manager’s career when they ask: Is it time to fire this person? 

The longer you manage people, and the more people you manage, the more often you will wrestle with this question. 

It’s usually a stressful, confusing bummer to have to work through. For the person whose job is on the line, of course (though sometimes getting fired can come as a relief). And for any supervisor, if that person is compassionate and invests in helping team members succeed. 

For me, this is an article I have been avoiding writing. I’m here to promote hope for improvement, at the team level and individual level. Not promote the last resort of cutting people off and getting rid of them. But I need to be real. And people keep asking!

We all live with this reality. From frontline staff with their manager, to the CEO with the board of directors, to people like me who work for multiple client organizations and individuals: If I don’t do well enough, I could get fired. 

A cliched but systems-not-bad-actor way to think about this decision point: “Is this a good match between the person and the role?” Or, as I heard from a famous (and too-glib) CEO that we can ask with generous optimism: “Is it time for this person to seek excellence elsewhere?” 

Here are four questions related to this Big Question, to help you see the situation clearly and make sure that you are doing your part to help the person succeed. 

• What is the gap between performance and expectations? 

• Is this new or temporary? Are there extenuating circumstances? 

• Is the person making an effort to improve? 

• Does this person contribute to, or detract from, the performance and culture of the team? 

What is the gap between performance and expectations?

When you expect more and different from someone and you aren’t getting it, start with yourself. A supervisor’s job is to be clear on expectations and performance gaps, ensure initial and ongoing training and support (either directly or through other staff or external resources), and to monitor the performance gap with the employee. 

This is where most managers get stuck with worry and self-doubt. There is always another thing we can do as the supervisor, right?

Don’t get stuck. Stop and get clear. Refer to supervision notes, project work plans, KPIs, whatever you have and proceed from there. Consider how clear you have been, in writing and in direct conversation. Get specific. KPI-style “what by when” stuff. It will help this person focus, and will help you be clear, consistent, and confident as you monitor and support progress. (Hindsight-20/20-ounce-of-prevention bonus! You will see any gaps in your supervision habits and documentation.)

BIG DEAL THING: Plan with HR. There is a formal process and timeline for improvement, once a person’s job is at stake. You need HR’s support, and you need to follow HR’s rules, many of which are legal requirements.

The breadth and depth of the gap also matters. Here’s how I think about these dimensions: 

• Deep gap = far from expectations in one area, e.g., meeting deadlines; 

• Wide gap = not doing well across multiple responsibilities, e.g, meeting deadlines plus being prepared for meetings plus  quality of deliverables. 

If I have a person who is doing well in all but one area of their work, there is more hope for change, and less manager time required to help them close the gap.

At some point, you will share the documented expectations and gaps with the person. In a formal, HR-driven improvement plan, or in an informal process if HR is not required.

Is this new or temporary? Are there extenuating circumstances? 

Everybody has times when they aren’t at their best in their job performance. The problem is when poor performance goes on for weeks and months, and expectations are consistently not being met.

Or when the person never met expectations to begin with. A leader I am coaching currently is struggling with the performance of two new hires, one in a management position. Both people seemed great in the interviews and in their job history, but are proving to be low performers who resist performance management efforts in disrespectful and discouraging ways. The manager is working with HR. It does not look promising for the match for either person.

If someone is not meeting expectations, and it is temporary, for reasons that could include any number of challenges in their personal life, or in the life of the team at work, it makes sense to give these issues a chance to pass.

Is the person making an effort to improve? 

I will do everything I can, including being patient (often the hardest thing!), to support someone who is working hard to rise to the level of expectations. For someone who denies there is a problem, or is unable to take feedback, it is almost impossible to help them improve. There is less opportunity for that person to rise to the occasion.

People will surprise you. I have seen people change from angry to open, from unwilling to motivated, based on one conversation. Or because the person they trust the most at work helped them feel safe enough to admit imperfection and ask for help. It’s also true that the boss and the rest of the team can't wait forever.

Does this person contribute to, or detract from, the performance and culture of the team? 
If the person is constantly griping and gossiping, this drags down team morale, on top of the drag on team performance that the low performance creates. I can think of one low performer I kept around for much longer than I could have, because she was trying to improve and she kept her head up and stayed supportive of her peers.

There are many other factors that are important in the decision to fire a low performer. There are many process steps, including ones that are legally required, that I’m not even getting into here. These questions are a way to work toward a go/no-go on this decisive management decision that can be truly life-altering for the employee and the manager. 

Last things, to reiterate: Get support. Work with HR.