Not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a project manager or a team leader, you will face a very difficult task one day - dismissing a friend of yours or a very popular member of your team. We are of course not talking about the situation when your friend acts in a way which can only lead to being fired immediately. In all other cases, you will have to prepare for a meeting which will not be pleasant for anybody.
How to handle firing a friend? Popular HR Susan Lucas, also known as Evil HR Lady, writes: "Overall, firing someone you like isn't that much different from firing someone you don't like. It's just more painful." Just as in the case of firing anyone else, three basic rules should be followed.
1. Only the direct supervisor can announce: "You are fired."
Only in the case of the direct supervisor's sudden death this duty may be delegated to a senior person (never to a subordinate). If you do not have the guts to fire a friend, you should not be a manager at all. Firing people is a part of your job and you have to be able to cope wit it.
2. Make sure a witness will be present
Being fired is often a very emotive issue. That is why you need an independent witness to monitor the whole process. Your witness may be an HR manager, another manager at the same level or a superior manager. Never invite a colleague of the person being fired as your witness.
3. Do not change the reasons for the termination
The reasons for the termination should be properly documented. The employee should have already heard the reasons during performance evaluations or during interviews you hold with him about the possibilities to improve his performance. Do not try to misrepresent the reasons just because you do not want to hurt your friend. That would hurt both of you.
What is your experience with terminating close people?
-kk-