a good time to act like a teacher
Someone on your team is underperforming. To avoid the malaise and frustration that can persist for you and this person, ask yourself, first: Do I plan to fire this person?
If YES: Ask yourself, next: what do we need to do to fire this person (responsibly, humanely, with honesty and care)? Do those things.
If NO: Pretend you are a K-12 teacher (a leader who cannot fire the people they lead). If this employee were a student who needs to behave well, succeed, achieve, and you can’t kick them out, what would you do for and with that student?
Once you know the answer to the firing question, you no longer need to feel trapped. You become a proactive driver - of an exit or of a leap in performance.
-Ben
