Comments on: How Not To Fire People http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/ Advice, Commentary, and Resources for Building World-Class Teams Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:25:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Nancy Williams http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1098 Nancy Williams Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:37:54 +0000 http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1098 Should the person responsible for the firing in each state where a "replacement" US Attorney was desired have explained that, sorry, but you're getting too close in your current investigation to uncovering some uncomfortable links between the target you've been following and .... well, some of us who are your bosses? That's where the accusations of corruption arise and that's where the problems lay, apparently. In several key states cause for dismissal was fabricated and no lead-up performance review gave the victim a hint what was coming. How would you tell someone to back off your investigation or you're going to lose your job, when the investigation WAS the job? No wonder there's a big flap with more to come. Should the person responsible for the firing in each state where a “replacement” US Attorney was desired have explained that, sorry, but you’re getting too close in your current investigation to uncovering some uncomfortable links between the target you’ve been following and …. well, some of us who are your bosses? That’s where the accusations of corruption arise and that’s where the problems lay, apparently. In several key states cause for dismissal was fabricated and no lead-up performance review gave the victim a hint what was coming. How would you tell someone to back off your investigation or you’re going to lose your job, when the investigation WAS the job? No wonder there’s a big flap with more to come.

]]> By: Chris Williams http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1099 Chris Williams Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:44:18 +0000 http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1099 Yep, they should have pulled them in, and given them a lousy performance review -- "not following direction well", "priorities do not represent those of the organization", and "failed to follow specific guidelines". Do that twice, then fire them. That would've been clean and kosher. They were warned, the disregarded the warnings, and they got fired. The fact that these are political jobs has NEVER been a secret. The fact that their priorities change with the administration has never been a secret. The flap is all about how, not whether or why (IMHO). Yep, they should have pulled them in, and given them a lousy performance review — “not following direction well”, “priorities do not represent those of the organization”, and “failed to follow specific guidelines”. Do that twice, then fire them.

That would’ve been clean and kosher. They were warned, the disregarded the warnings, and they got fired. The fact that these are political jobs has NEVER been a secret. The fact that their priorities change with the administration has never been a secret.

The flap is all about how, not whether or why (IMHO).

]]> By: Nancy Williams http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1117 Nancy Williams Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:23:35 +0000 http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1117 This is a bit different from a corporation. I refer you to the long dissertation made by Josh Marshall in his "Talking Points Memo" yesterday regarding what we are entitled to expect from law enforcement, a sitting judge - or the tax collector, for that matter. Whether or not the position is an appointed one and therefore political in nature, we assume we receive political blindness in the performance. Or should. That's the difference from "doesn't represent the priorities of the organization" that is wholly appropriate as just cause in a corporation. This is a bit different from a corporation. I refer you to the long dissertation made by Josh Marshall in his “Talking Points Memo” yesterday regarding what we are entitled to expect from law enforcement, a sitting judge - or the tax collector, for that matter. Whether or not the position is an appointed one and therefore political in nature, we assume we receive political blindness in the performance. Or should. That’s the difference from “doesn’t represent the priorities of the organization” that is wholly appropriate as just cause in a corporation.

]]> By: Chris Williams http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1118 Chris Williams Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:29:50 +0000 http://www.clwill.com/leadership/how-not-to-fire-people/#comment-1118 I think expecting pure political blindness in this situation is asking too much. But my point is, nonetheless, that the whole situation would've blown over if done correctly. For example, John McKay (the Seattle victim) said yesterday on Meet the Press that he intended to resign, and was ready to accept it until the higher ups claimed it was for performance reasons. That's when he and others reached out to each other and began to object. Had Alberto followed my advice, we'd never even known about this whole mess... I think expecting pure political blindness in this situation is asking too much. But my point is, nonetheless, that the whole situation would’ve blown over if done correctly.

For example, John McKay (the Seattle victim) said yesterday on Meet the Press that he intended to resign, and was ready to accept it until the higher ups claimed it was for performance reasons. That’s when he and others reached out to each other and began to object. Had Alberto followed my advice, we’d never even known about this whole mess…

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