Firing the Prodigal Executive

There are two schools of thought when it comes to letting somebody go. One is to create transition time so the executive can find a new job. The other approach is that once the decision is made, do it as quickly as possible. My recommendation is to terminate the relationship in a speedy fashion. Once a decision has been made, and the details (severance, etc) have been worked out, make it happen now.

You hire slow, but you fire fast. The reason is when a person is kept in an organization when they know they're going to be leaving, there is the lame duck syndrome. These executives a rarely productive. Plus, if they've been derailing anyway and are negative or hostile, there's really no reason they have any more value to the company. Keeping them around can create more problems than it's worth.

The message the senior leader making the decision should communicate is that the decision has been made. Once the person is gone everybody can breathe a big sigh of relief. Thankfully, it's time to move on.

Applying This to the Manager Coach

If you are the manager who is coaching the derailed executive, how do you know if this executive can get back on track? There are a several criteria.

The first criteria is whether they even want the coaching. If the executive doesn’t want it, you shouldn't waste your time or your money. The second criteria is that within a short period of time, usually within 4-6 weeks, if you don’t see any change then there's a probability this executive is not going to mentally engage in the coaching. The third criteria is if you ask the individual to go through the steps of the assessment or 360 degree feedback survey, and you get constant pushback, then the person is not coachable at this time.

In today's world we live in a new corporate environment. The issue of loyalty always comes up and I applaud the companies I work with because they cover all their bases to try and keep the individual within the organization.

There's been an evolution. In the 1940 to 1960s it was an implied cradle to grave contract. If you started working for IBM, then you ended your career with IBM.
Not any more. Because of this new reality the loyalty issue becomes very confusing, even on the executive level. Many executives help companies get to a certain point and when they get to that point it's time to move on. There's more fluidity and mobility, and there just isn't the same loyalty aspect there used to be.

With layoffs and downsizing of organizations, the implicit contract has changed to become more of a free agency model. Individuals in this generation, having seen their parents being laid off, don't feel that same sense of loyalty. Companies know that when times are good they bring in lots of bodies, and when times aren’t good there are layoffs or outsourcing to countries where the work is cheaper.

Just remember this: It's a business decision, not a personal decision.