Donald Trump is known for several things. His real estate ventures, his signature orange coif, and his knack for creating controversy are just a few. But for many people, he is best known as host of The Apprentice, a reality show in which a group of contestants battle for the chance to manage one of Trump’s commercial enterprises.
Each episode of the show — now in its 13th season, if you include its spinoff, Celebrity Apprentice — ends with Trump eliminating one competitor with the catchphrase, “You’re fired” (for which he famously filed a trademark application).
Although viewership has trailed off significantly, for its first six seasons, the show was a ratings gold mine. And as cheesy as it was at times, the show did get one thing right. Even though it was only a “game,” when contestants were fired, they were given an explanation as to why, and Trump was right there at the table. He was the one doing the dirty work.
Of course, in the real world, it isn’t quite so simple (or staged, for that matter). Firing an employee can be a gut-wrenching experience. But there is a right way — and a wrong way — to let someone go.
In a blog recently featured on LinkedIn, Joel Peterson, Chairman of JetBlue Airways, identified the 10 most common firing mistakes. Of those, there were a few that really resonated with me.
1. Be clear and direct
It’s an unpleasant conversation, to put it mildly, but the worst thing you can do is beat around the bush. As Peterson said, wording it ambiguously by saying, “We’ve decided to make some changes” or “we’re going to terminate the position” is actually doing a disservice to the person being fired. There should be no doubt about what’s happening. After all, it’s one thing to try to cushion the blow, but you can’t be so subtle that the person who is being fired doesn’t know right away what’s happening.
2. It shouldn’t be a surprise
“If you’re surprising your employee with the news of his termination, you’ve probably made mistakes in the process leading up to the dismissal,” Peterson wrote. I’d take it a step further and say you’ve definitely made some mistakes if it comes as a shock. To be clear, I’m referring to a person who is being fired — not being let go as a result of layoffs. If a person was performing poorly or exhibiting inappropriate behavior, it should have been addressed, and a performance improvement plan should have been discussed (unless of course he or she is guilty of a particularly grievous offense, in which case a firing should happen immediately).
It reminds me of a discussion Anthony and I had during my most recent review. He said that if a leader is communicating effectively with his or her staff, there should be no big surprises in a review, and I agreed 100 percent.
3. Don’t outsource the dirty work
This is one critical. “The only thing people like less than being let go by a boss is being pink-slipped by a hired gun or by an HR director,” Peterson noted. “The people being fired will resent it, and so will the ones doing your dirty work. Eventually the whole organization will pick up on your inability to face tough issues.”
It’s a leader’s duty to be there when an individual is let go. As uncomfortable as it might get, your employee needs to hear the bad news from you. It’s a sign of respect to the person who worked for you, and it shows your team that you demand accountability and that you’re willing to take some punches to ensure you’re putting your best players on the field.
During a discussion at a HIMSS dinner, Ron Strachan, CIO of Community Health Network, echoed this sentiment, noting that he always makes it a point to be present when an employee is being let go, whether it’s because of layoffs or poor performance.
“You need to be there at the table,” he said. “Let them react — you owe them that.”
I guess there are some things we can learn from Donald Trump.
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