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Letting Go
The operator's responsibility to end an employment relationship well.
Firing is the decision every operator does too slowly. The cost of keeping the wrong person is almost always higher than the cost of the difficult conversation.
The Operating Lens
How exceptional operators approach letting go.
Questions worth sitting with
- 01Am I keeping this person because it is right, or because it is comfortable?
- 02Have I been honest with them about what has to change and by when?
- 03What would I do if this person walked in and quit tomorrow, and does that tell me something?
- 04How will I make sure this exit is fair, dignified, and quick?
Signals you may be here
- 01You dread scheduling one-on-ones with a specific person.
- 02Other team members are quietly working around them.
- 03You keep saying 'they just need more time'.
- 04You have coached the same issue three times with no change.
Practical starting points
- 01Have the direct conversation about what has to change, in writing, this week.
- 02Set a clear, short timeline with specific outcomes.
- 03Prepare a fair, generous, and quiet exit if the change does not happen.
