Don’t Be Cruel

One of the most interesting and sad things we see in organizations is managers that keep an underperforming employee on their team when it’s obvious to them and even people around them that this employee is just not qualified for the position. The manager keeps this employee on the team for any number of reasons such as…

• I like her. She’s a really nice person. 
• She is trying. 
• If I fire her what would she do? I just can’t do that to her. 
• Who do we replace her with. 

You can probably think of more reasons. Perhaps you have someone on your team right now that you’re trying to justify keeping on board. As you continue to keep an employee on your team that clearly doesn’t have the talents to be remarkable and in some cases even perform at a competent level, think about this.

You are doing one of the most cruel things possible to this employee. 

• You are in essence lying to this person by making him think he is qualified and doing a good job. 
• You are holding this person back from a fulfilling career somewhere else. 
• You are stealing valuable time from this person to embark in a new and rewarding career by keeping him employed for the next few years or more 
• You are being incredibly selfish thinking you might have a hard time finding a replacement. 

Don’t be cruel. Make sure you have the right people on the right seat on the bus. When you don’t have the right person, move him out. If you really want to help, give this person a hand in finding a new career.