Q You've written about hiring the right way. What about firing?

A Firing is the worst part of business for everyone involved. But letting people go in a way that doesn't engender bitterness is possible. I'm not talking about firing for integrity violations. When that happens, make sure everyone knows why—a teaching moment—and get on with business. I'm talking about letting someone go for under-performance, a more fraught event. As different emotions play out, managers feel relief while their "victims" feel everything but. That creates a personal and organisational car wreck.

Half of firing correctly is not running away after you say "goodbye". The other half is never letting that word be a surprise in the first place.
Preventing the surprise can easily be accomplished with a rigorous system of candid performance evaluations, twice a year at the minimum. Every employee must always know where he stands, especially if it is close to the exit.

This "abiding" preserves the dignity of the person being let go. Start by giving the departing employee six months to find a place where his or her skills are a better match, and in that period, fight any appearance of abandonment.

You may feel as if you've already spent enough time on the under-performing employee—you need to spend a bit more. A good dismissal means you become a coach and adviser. Take the employee for periodic lunches and check in with him regularly. Suggest new career directions or possible firms to join. In every way, help make their exit as devoid of humiliation as possible.