Someone on your team needs to go. Perhaps you hired him simply because he was there. Maybe you hired her early on but time has shown that she is not a good fit. Perhaps he doesn’t even want to be on your team but is not sure what else to do with his life. Perhaps he has consistently shown that he cannot do the job well. What has become clear is that he is not a good fit for the team. Most organizations (and churches) are carrying a person like this on the team. What should you do? How can you know if there is a person on your team that fits this description? Is it unkind to release a person because she is not a good fit for the team? What if it hurts your church or the person?
You may have a person on your team that you know is a bad fit. If you could only figure out a pain-free way to let the person go, you would do it in a minute. Here are some guidelines to help you navigate through this difficult issue.
Ask: Would I Hire This Person Again?
The number one question to answer regarding whether or not to keep a person on your team is whether or not you would hire her again. If the answer is no, then why is she still on your team? Are you afraid to let her go? Your fear (or compassion) is not sufficient reason to keep her on your team.
When you allow a person who is a bad fit to stay you are:
- Mismanaging dollars and resources that have been entrusted to you
- Robbing a person of valuable years of her life by keeping her in a role that doesn’t fit
- Leading from fear by avoiding a hard conversation
- People pleasing rather than doing what is right
- Allowing fear of consequences to dictate your decisions
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Do you expect to move the mission forward with people on your team that are a mediocre fit, don’t want to be there, or that you would not hire again?
Realize: It Won’t Be as Bad as you Think
We often avoid the hard decision because we feel like it will hurt the person or the organization. Time and time again, I have seen that this is not the case. If it is best for the organization to let a person go, then it is ultimately best for the person as well. You will find, that when you let a person go, the organization always seems to move forward even in his absence.
Decide: Make the Decision
There is no easy path to leadership. Great leaders make hard decisions.
Implement: Make the Transition Short (But Gracious)
- Shorter transitions are always better
- It is unlikely that your situation is the exception to this principle
- Give a generous severance to be gracious
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Forward: Keep Focused On The Mission
Stop looking back and look forward. Does someone on your team need to move into the next stage of life? Make the decision.
