{"id":436,"date":"2017-12-04T17:16:53","date_gmt":"2017-12-04T17:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danielvlopes238992071.wordpress.com\/2017\/12\/04\/how-to-fire-someone-with-grace-dignity-and-respect\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T14:40:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T22:40:06","slug":"how-to-fire-someone-with-grace-dignity-and-respect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2017\/12\/04\/how-to-fire-someone-with-grace-dignity-and-respect\/","title":{"rendered":"How to fire someone with grace, dignity, and respect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The \u201cright way\u201d to fire an employee doesn\u2019t exist\u200a\u2014\u200abut we can all get closer to it by keeping these 6 things in mind.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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A few months ago, I fired someone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ugh. It was gut-wrenching. I\u2019ve fired people before \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t matter how many times you do it, it always feels downright terrible. This moment was especially tough, as it was someone who I\u2019d believed in and genuinely enjoyed working with. Things just weren\u2019t working out as planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prepare for the difficult conversation, I asked a few mentors for advice. I also later posed the question to our community of leaders in Canopy<\/a> from all over the world, to learn how others handle letting someone go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From over 1,000 CEOs, managers, and executives, I compiled six recommendations on how to handle firing someone with dignity, grace and respect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Privacy, please.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Choose a conference room that\u2019s away from the team, ideally that\u2019s close to the exits. Or, if you\u2019re a remote team, make sure you\u2019re in a place that\u2019s private when you make your Skype or Google Hangout call. Make sure your phone is turned off and door is closed so you\u2019re not interrupted. And never ever do it in a public place, like a coffee shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201coptimal\u201d time doesn\u2019t exist.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has different opinions about whether you should let someone go on Friday end-of-day, or earlier in the week \u2013 but really, it\u2019s moot. Once the decision has been made, it\u2019s best to let the person go as fast as possible. There never is an \u201coptimal\u201d time to fire someone. Don\u2019t let time or day or day of week become an excuse to delay. The longer you wait, the more your interactions with that person become disingenuous and uncomfortable in the days and hours leading up to you telling them they\u2019re being let go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cut to the chase.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t dawdle or make small talk. Your opening sentence should be delivered in 5 seconds or less. For example, one\u00a0of our members suggested you say, \u201cClaire, I\u2019m letting you go effective immediately.\u201d Be clear, succinct, and direct. Nothing you can say will soften the blow so don\u2019t try to sugar coat your message or ask about how a project is going, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a decision, not a conversation.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get drawn into an extensive conversation or argument \u2013 it\u2019s a decision that\u2019s been made, not something that\u2019s up for debate. Make that clear. One member suggested that after stating that you\u2019re letting this person go, your second sentence should articulate terms (severance, impact to equity, etc), and your third sentence should indicate this is non-negotiable. Listen to their reaction, answer questions as you see fit, but try not to get pulled into defending your decision for hours on end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sucks for you, but sucks way worse for them.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another\u00a0member cautioned that you may be tempted to offer comfort by saying something like, \u201cThis is a difficult decision\u201d or \u201cI really don\u2019t want to do this.\u201d But the last thing you want to do is indulge and pontificate on how you\u2019re personally feeling. To be frank, the other person doesn\u2019t care how difficult the decision was for you \u2013 you made it, regardless. And, if you really didn\u2019t want to do it, you wouldn\u2019t have. Of course it sucks for you, but that\u2019s not for you to impose on the person you\u2019re firing. Find someone else to confide your pain in, and keep in mind that the decision you\u2019re making is on behalf of the team, the company, and their best interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communicate the decision to your team with grace.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ask how the person being let go prefers to break the news to the team. Their preference might be to send a farewell note themselves, or personally tell the team members they are closest with. Other times, they\u2019ll ask you to simply relay the news for them. If it\u2019s the latter, share the news with respect and mindfulness. Even if the person was fired for performance reasons that were 100% their own fault, thoughtfully consider what is appropriate to disclose. Imagine if the person fired were to overhear you sharing the news with the team: Would they feel it was fair? Use this as a benchmark for how to communicate the decision to your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter how you do it, letting someone go is one of the hardest things to do as a leader. There truly is no \u201cbest way\u201d \u2013 but hopefully these tips will be helpful should you face this situation in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know it\u2019s helped me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a deeper dive, be sure to check out our \u201cHow to Fire a Team Member<\/a>” module in Canopy. The first few lessons are free \u2013 as are hundreds of daily tips. Try\u00a0Canopy<\/a><\/em>\u00a0for free, yourself, today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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