Tuesday Tip – Ask This Simple Question to Determine When to Fire Someone

We are so close to the year ending. People make New Year’s resolutions; they remove clutter and try to eliminate the things from their life that hold them back. In business it is much the same. Instead of New Year’s resolutions it is called annual performance appraisals.

As you look around your team you can instantly identify those people who you need to let go. More than likely you complete and deliver their reviews last, because, we procrastinate difficult conversations. It is also highly likely that many managers will avoid taking out the pruning shears and instead give that employee “one more chance” to improve.

How do you know when now is the time to prune an employee? With one simple question: what evidence is there that indicates tomorrow will be different than today. If the answer is no or you are unable to answer that question in a matter of minutes, you are over thinking it and grasping for a straw that will save them.

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Over the next few weeks, take a look at the lower performers of your team and ask that question for each one. If the answer is no or you cannot easily find evidence that tomorrow will be different, have the difficult conversation and let them go.

Last updated on March 1st, 2018 at 05:34 am

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Jason Cortel is currently the Director of Global Workforce Management for a leading technology company. He has been in customer service, marketing, and sales services for over 20 years. In addition, he has extensive experience in offshore and nearshore outsourcing. Jason is an avid Star Trek fan and is on a mission to change the universe by helping people develop professionally. He is driven to help managers and leaders lead their teams better. Jason is also a veteran in creating talent and office cultures.

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