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If I was in your shoe, I woud let that person know that I did everything I could but in the end, it came from above that he is going to be let go. Be supportive as you can. And then call in sick for the next two week just incase he goes bat crazy and wack everyone. J/K
What do "doesn't play well with others" and "bad attitude" mean? Is this someone who is being treated poorly by others and maybe reacting to that, or is it an introvert who keeps to himself? What exactly is he doing?
One of the most frustrating situations in the workplace is when "decision makers' use descriptive adjectives like "rude", "uncooperative" without attaching a direct object that is a FACT. "Doesn't play well" on const. sites means you don't close down the pub at 2 a.m. with all the losers, so you're the employee that's "out"!!
Is he good at his job? I wouldn't care if an employee is "argumentative and resistant to authority" if he is productive. It sounds like you want staff members who are submissive yes men, stepford employees who wear a fake smile and agree with everything.
I guess when you become boss you can make the rules.
Is he good at his job? I wouldn't care if an employee is "argumentative and resistant to authority" if he is productive. It sounds like you want staff members who are submissive yes men, stepford employees who wear a fake smile and agree with everything.
Things aren't always black and white. There's a grey area between challenging the status quo and just being plain argumentative. You appreciate the former as they can bring a different perspective on things and can often introduce innovation. However, the latter is simply trying to push your buttons without adding anything of value.
Of course, how a person is perceived is also up to the recipients perspective. Some will see someone as pushing the boundary and innovative while another will see it as simply being a jerk.
I've had to let people go even though they were essentially SMEs in their area. The problem isn't their ability to do the technical part of their job. However, due to a lack of soft skills or other issues, they are not able to work well with others. So while they know their stuff like the back of their hand, they also made life a living hell for those around them. In the end, the entire group suffers.
This isn't to say this person is bad or what they are doing is wrong. But simply they are no longer the right person for the role.
To the OP - This is the crappiest part of being a manager. You're making a business decision - but the impact to the employee will be extremely personal and emotional. There really isn't a play book for this as everyone is different. Some will just look at you, say nothing and walk off, some will get super angry and get loud, and some will cry. You'll just need to get through it. Not only is this meeting hard, but dealing with the aftermath will also be challenging - and no matter how unpopular he/she may have been, there will still be those that are shocked when the termination actually happens. And they will be looking for someone to blame.
Things aren't always black and white. There's a grey area between challenging the status quo and just being plain argumentative. You appreciate the former as they can bring a different perspective on things and can often introduce innovation. However, the latter is simply trying to push your buttons without adding anything of value.
Of course, how a person is perceived is also up to the recipients perspective. Some will see someone as pushing the boundary and innovative while another will see it as simply being a jerk.
I've had to let people go even though they were essentially SMEs in their area. The problem isn't their ability to do the technical part of their job. However, due to a lack of soft skills or other issues, they are not able to work well with others. So while they know their stuff like the back of their hand, they also made life a living hell for those around them. In the end, the entire group suffers.
This isn't to say this person is bad or what they are doing is wrong. But simply they are no longer the right person for the role.
To the OP - This is the crappiest part of being a manager. You're making a business decision - but the impact to the employee will be extremely personal and emotional. There really isn't a play book for this as everyone is different. Some will just look at you, say nothing and walk off, some will get super angry and get loud, and some will cry. You'll just need to get through it. Not only is this meeting hard, but dealing with the aftermath will also be challenging - and no matter how unpopular he/she may have been, there will still be those that are shocked when the termination actually happens. And they will be looking for someone to blame.
This is good insight. Like you said, it's nothing personal, just business. But no matter what, I will always look like the "bad guy".
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descriptive advectives, not direct objects
