Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/overcome-the-fear-of-firing/5022844/
“It was obvious that this teacher could not relate well to kids, but I could not bring myself to fire her. And while I wavered, things only got worse for everyone in her classroom.”
Having to fire someone is probably the most difficult action a director may have to take. It is an action directors can find endless excuses to avoid, as did the director quoted above. But it is an action that in certain cases must be taken.
To discover how directors can overcome the fear of firing and to learn what precautions to take and what mistakes to avoid in the firing process, Exchange surveyed 30 center directors who had fired an employee. The suggestions that follow are based on their experiences and recommendations.
When is Firing Appropriate?
People who go into social services typically care very much about individuals. However, directors are also responsible for caring for the organization as a whole and for the families it serves. When the needs of an individual staff member come into serious conflict with the needs of the group, the director must place higher priority on the welfare of the group.
The directors identified four areas where the performance of individual staff members most frequently detracts ...