Getting People off the Bus
Getting the right people on your bus and in the correct seat is vital. Every bit as important is getting the wrong people off the bus. I don’t know about you, but I have at times tolerated poor performance for too long. It is much better to address poor performers quickly….and fairly.
Why is this? An un-addressed poor performer can become a broader cancer in the organization. If we tolerate poor performance, stellar performers start to wonder why they are working as hard and effectively as they are. Poor performers limit the success of teams.
When things are going well, we often add significant numbers of new team members, invariably adding some individuals that we shouldn’t have. Isn’t it remarkable that you can cut staff and still accomplish most, if not all, of the tasks you were accomplishing before.
There are times when we add by subtracting.
We need to be disciplined in our performance-review process, especially during new-candidate hiring. It is better to not hire someone than to make concessions and settle for a lesser candidate.
So how do we get the wrong person off the bus?
- Everything is easier if we commit to doing the right thing. We need to be sensitive to the individuals, empathizing with them, and treating them the way we’d like to be treated if we were in their position.
- This can be a very painful process, especially if the team member in question was recently added to the team. Your team is watching how you handle this situation. Make sure your actions model your organization’s values.
- It may be difficult to acknowledge this reality, but this is the right thing for the person leaving……..always. They are not going to be successful staying in your organization. Embrace the truth that they have better opportunities ahead.
- We need to take responsibility when we do a poor job in hiring candidates. We may have made a significant mistake in our hiring and vetting process.
- Be fair with severances given. Being generous in this process is often appropriate.
How have you handled this tough but necessary discipline?
