Comments on: How to Fire People http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html Dealing with software projects in real life Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:07:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-43345 Pawel Brodzinski Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:08:12 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-43345 @Anne-Maree - Such situations are always very difficult to solve. It is because you have two perspectives which contradict with each other: company representative and friend. However, as usual it boils down to trust which is, or should be, fueled by honesty and openness. From what you write it seems there is a problem with that. Anyway, I would start an honest discussion with your friend/subordinate. I would openly state what problem I have along with all the doubts and potential solutions of the issue, even if they would sound harsh. I would however try to avoid bias meaning both trying to treat the friend fairly but also not assuming that she's just a slacker. In other words I'd start with stating how the situation looks like and looking for root cause. There might be good reasons why it happens so, like private matters etc. With such attitude you give yourself chances to find what is really happening. Then, it's time to act. If you end up confirming that your friend is exploiting your relation, well, it's your job as a manger to solve this issue, even if it will eventually affect your relationships. I know it sounds harsh, but if your private relationship was completely healthy you wouldn't be in this place you're in. @Anne-Maree – Such situations are always very difficult to solve. It is because you have two perspectives which contradict with each other: company representative and friend.

However, as usual it boils down to trust which is, or should be, fueled by honesty and openness. From what you write it seems there is a problem with that. Anyway, I would start an honest discussion with your friend/subordinate. I would openly state what problem I have along with all the doubts and potential solutions of the issue, even if they would sound harsh.

I would however try to avoid bias meaning both trying to treat the friend fairly but also not assuming that she’s just a slacker. In other words I’d start with stating how the situation looks like and looking for root cause. There might be good reasons why it happens so, like private matters etc. With such attitude you give yourself chances to find what is really happening.

Then, it’s time to act. If you end up confirming that your friend is exploiting your relation, well, it’s your job as a manger to solve this issue, even if it will eventually affect your relationships. I know it sounds harsh, but if your private relationship was completely healthy you wouldn’t be in this place you’re in.

]]> By: Anne-Maree http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-43333 Anne-Maree Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:15:49 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-43333 In reference to the above comment, yes, I could see both male and female used as examples. I made the fatal mistake of hiring a friend in a satellite office. We are very good friends, I think! However, she is taking advantage and I have so many examples now that I can't imagine her doing this elsewhere and it must be because we are friends. I now face the stress of putting her off, and losing a friend. We now both live in different countries and I manage remotely, but I manage several satellite offices all in different timezones, and I am really starting to resent that I will have to really micromanage her and monitor her. If someone 'takes' a minimum of 10 minutes every single day, that is over a week in a year! On the very odd occasion that I have monitored arrival time, her log in can be anything up to 45 minutes in difference to what I know to be true. To avoid stress, I just stopped monitoring, but still stressful. Any suggestions? In reference to the above comment, yes, I could see both male and female used as examples.

I made the fatal mistake of hiring a friend in a satellite office. We are very good friends, I think! However, she is taking advantage and I have so many examples now that I can’t imagine her doing this elsewhere and it must be because we are friends. I now face the stress of putting her off, and losing a friend. We now both live in different countries and I manage remotely, but I manage several satellite offices all in different timezones, and I am really starting to resent that I will have to really micromanage her and monitor her. If someone ‘takes’ a minimum of 10 minutes every single day, that is over a week in a year! On the very odd occasion that I have monitored arrival time, her log in can be anything up to 45 minutes in difference to what I know to be true. To avoid stress, I just stopped monitoring, but still stressful. Any suggestions?

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-27614 Pawel Brodzinski Sat, 29 Jan 2011 10:16:53 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-27614 Well, I see both male and female used as examples one after another, which I don't find sexist. But then if someone is biased, <i>he</i> would always find an argument to support <i>his</i> thesis even if it is neither true nor fair. Well, I see both male and female used as examples one after another, which I don’t find sexist. But then if someone is biased, he would always find an argument to support his thesis even if it is neither true nor fair.

]]> By: jenny http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-27575 jenny Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:42:17 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-27575 Why is the employee due to be fired always a female in these examples. Is our society really that sexist? Why is the employee due to be fired always a female in these examples. Is our society really that sexist?

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-3902 Pawel Brodzinski Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:10:58 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-3902 Anna, I'd say it is individual. As a manager you have impact on the team pretty much under control. I agree it can be cruel for fired person to put him in this situation but on the other hand it may give him a chance to look for another job with much comfort (he isn't formally fired yet). Actually I've seen it working quite a few times already and it might be cruel only once at most, although I can't say for sure. Personally I would think about this option only if I believed it will be good for fired person. And I never choose an option basing on how comfortable I feel with it. Firing sucks. Always. The last thing I can do for fired person is to try to do it the way which hurts least, no matter how miserable I'll feel. Anna,

I’d say it is individual. As a manager you have impact on the team pretty much under control. I agree it can be cruel for fired person to put him in this situation but on the other hand it may give him a chance to look for another job with much comfort (he isn’t formally fired yet).

Actually I’ve seen it working quite a few times already and it might be cruel only once at most, although I can’t say for sure. Personally I would think about this option only if I believed it will be good for fired person.

And I never choose an option basing on how comfortable I feel with it. Firing sucks. Always. The last thing I can do for fired person is to try to do it the way which hurts least, no matter how miserable I’ll feel.

]]> By: Anna http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-3898 Anna Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:07:46 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-3898 I don't think I can agree with "don't fire". If you're laying people off, this is not likely to be an option, so I'm reading this as referring to keeping on someone who isn't up to the job in the hope that they'll "get the message" and resign of their own accord. This is just cruel. It's hard not only for the individual, who may be utterly destroyed by the time they realise they're being pushed towards the door, but also for their teammates. I think most managers have enough difficulty getting to that decision anyway - given the opportunity to put it off, many will do so, thinking that they are being "kind". Actually, they are being the exact opposite of kind. I don’t think I can agree with “don’t fire”. If you’re laying people off, this is not likely to be an option, so I’m reading this as referring to keeping on someone who isn’t up to the job in the hope that they’ll “get the message” and resign of their own accord. This is just cruel. It’s hard not only for the individual, who may be utterly destroyed by the time they realise they’re being pushed towards the door, but also for their teammates.

I think most managers have enough difficulty getting to that decision anyway – given the opportunity to put it off, many will do so, thinking that they are being “kind”. Actually, they are being the exact opposite of kind.

]]> By: Project Management Form http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1743 Project Management Form Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:13:04 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1743 Firing people means more than simply saying "hit the highway"...or at least it should. Done correctly, both you and the fired should leave with your dignity intact. Firing people means more than simply saying "hit the highway"…or at least it should. Done correctly, both you and the fired should leave with your dignity intact.

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1742 Pawel Brodzinski Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:37:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1742 I think it is so because many people treat is as taboo. No one wants to admit he had to lay people off since it means their team wasn't great or their company had problems. I think it is so because many people treat is as taboo. No one wants to admit he had to lay people off since it means their team wasn’t great or their company had problems.

]]> By: Alex http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1741 Alex Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:36:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1741 Interesting post. Firing someone is never easy, but sometimes it just needs to be done. I haven't really seen many articles with these kinds of tips so good job! I also have a blog on project management <a HREF="http://www.santexq.com/project-management-tool-blog" REL="nofollow">SantexQ Project Management Blog</a>. Check it out if you get a chance! Interesting post. Firing someone is never easy, but sometimes it just needs to be done. I haven’t really seen many articles with these kinds of tips so good job! I also have a blog on project management SantexQ Project Management Blog. Check it out if you get a chance!

]]> By: chris http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1740 chris Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:46:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2006/10/how-to-fire-people.html#comment-1740 hiring and retrenching people is very stressful especially if that person didn't do something bad to the company but it's need to be done for the company's stability<br/><br/><a HREF="http://hilogic.net/" REL="nofollow">Prince 2 Certification</a> hiring and retrenching people is very stressful especially if that person didn’t do something bad to the company but it’s need to be done for the company’s stability

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