Investigate, Review, Reflect, Act

Practice having a termination conversation

A termination conversation will be one of the hardest conversations you will ever have. Practice having this conversation now, ahead of time. It will feel a little silly at first, but the practice will help. You can even role-play with a fellow manager, to give you both practice.

Investigate company policies on former employees

Talk with your HR partners about the company’s position on remaining personally in contact with your former employee. HR might not wish any, but some employees are incredibly grateful to their former employers when their former manager helps them find a new position. (Some companies also want to cut all ties, for real or perceived legal liability reasons.)

Discuss termination experiences with your peers

Ask a peer on the team you’re on if they’ve fired somebody before. If they have, ask them their thoughts on it. Was it harder than they expected? Did they regret that decision? Be sure to ask about the reactions of their team members after the separation, too. How did they address the team’s responses?