Now and then, I hear, either in person or through others, about a situation where, unfortunately, someone has been fired and the person who was dismissed was completely shocked by the decision, even though the warning signs and reasons behind it were visible to everyone else in the team, and even across the wider organisation.
It is quite peculiar how much awareness can be lacking when we are personally involved in something, to the point where it can make us blind to ourselves and the impact, or lack of impact, we are having.
A very similar situation was recently described to me by a client, where a member of their team wasn’t meeting expectations. They weren’t fully stepping into the role, delivering what the department needed, or recognising the impact they were having on others. Eventually, they ended up on the radar for dismissal.
The problem? They seemed genuinely surprised. I see that feeling of being surprised as a big red flag for leadership performance in an organisation and I will tell you in depth of why that is.
The art of making the invisible, visible
Criticising someone’s performance or giving suggestions for improvement is not a task that many people handle well. In fact, this is quite evident in today’s corporate environment. I have seen very blunt people behave unpleasantly towards employees, while I have also seen managers who were so soft that they couldn’t bring themselves to point out obvious mistakes. The right approach lies somewhere in the middle, where being direct and fair meet, and where empathy and professionalism are both present. After all, you are having a conversation with a grown adult who should know what their responsibilities are, what needs to be delivered, and should also be corrected when those expectations are not being met.
That surprise at being fired can stem from many things. Of course, it can be disingenuous, and people may simply try to hide the fact that they knew what was happening. However, as a leader, you should always make sure that responsibilities and deliverables have been communicated clearly, while also doing your best to help, guide and correct when expectations are not being met. If that continues, and the lack of competence is clearly visible and felt across the team, then the unpopular but necessary decision is to part ways.
Because if the situation continues, it will inevitably have a negative effect on the people who do their jobs properly, take on board guidance, and continuously improve themselves.
So the question is: how do you become better at communicating all of these things? How do you clearly explain what is expected at the beginning of someone’s role, communicate when expectations change, and address areas that need improvement before they become reasons for dismissal?
The key questions you need to ask yourself
Let’s say you are a manager who notices that someone isn’t delivering. My first piece of advice is to take a moment for introspection and ask yourself the following questions:
- What are you noticing?
- What isn’t being delivered?
- What impact is this having on the team, the customer, and the wider organisation?
- And, importantly, does the person see it too?
All of the above has its roots in awareness, which is one of the key traits of a leader. In situations like these, awareness is the first thing that needs to happen. This is why I always talk about the importance of practising awareness. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. Some leaders become straight shooters, while others shy away from one of their most fundamental responsibilities.
Once you have the answers to the questions above, the next two phases need to happen. They form part of the bespoke ACE Model that I have developed: Communication and Engagement. Communication must be transparent, timely and clear. Engagement on the other hand is about making it equally clear what needs to happen next, what support will be provided, and what delivery looks like moving forward.
When all three elements are in place, you have established the foundations for dealing with performance issues fairly, and from there, whatever the outcome of the ACE process may be, both you and the employee can move forward with clarity rather than confusion.
The light and dark
As the person who designed this model, I have to tell you that it has both a light and a dark side. You need to be aware of both so that you can use them wisely. Doing so will not only improve your leadership but also reduce the burden that often comes with difficult conversations.
The light side of ACE is developmental. This is where you identify where a person can improve, create a plan with them, encourage them, and guide them towards achieving the desired outcome. But there is no light without darkness. The dark side is consequence-focused. It means ensuring that the employee is fully aware of what may happen if they continue with the same behaviours or performance.
Just remember this: firing should never come as a surprise. Sometimes a person genuinely cannot deliver what is expected of them, but they need to know that. It is your responsibility as a leader to show them what expectations have not been met if the situation continues over time. I must admit that there are people who are genuinely oblivious to their own performance, but they are rare, and in my experience, you can usually identify them quite quickly.
With all that said, I invite you to learn more about the ACE Model, because it applies to far more situations than the one described above. If you are curious to discover how it could be applied in your own organisation or leadership journey, I would be more than happy to meet with you.