Ambassadors of Hate

I was reading Michel’s piece from last week “Let Culture be your Guide” and it occurred to me that Michel didn’t talk much about the people that were let go.  Other than “we let them know why they were going and we worked with many of them again in the future”.  Her article focussed on those who stayed.

Now I’m not an HR specialist or even truly a people person, but have been hired and fired plenty of times, and in turn have hired and fired a couple of hundred people.  I reckon I have some insight which I thought I might share.

The truth is that most people in their lifetime will be “let go”.   You can kid your self that the ex employee was a great person who took it on the chin, but its not actually what happened.  Its always personal.  Everyone goes home shell shocked no matter whether they were expecting it or not.

So I reckon you have two choices.  When letting staff go you can either create a free sales force, or like Dr Frankenstein breathe life into a new creature which I like to call “the Ambassador of Hate”.  More on this later, but first:

I have fired people in lots of different ways, three stand outs are.

1.  The 30 year old programmer who was given a garbage bag for his belongings and escorted off the premises in tears  I said “Now F*K off”.  Not only was he surprised by what happened but humiliated in front of his peers.

2.  The 45 year old Sales Manager who was given a months notice and was allowed to work the time out.  It appears that over the month he emailed home copies of our documents, processes and customer lists.

3.  The 20 year old accounts clerk that was terminated then given a 6 month contract so that she would end up with more in her pocket and more flexibility whilst she looked for role and industry that suited her interests more.

Why they stand out for me is:

1.    The 30yr old programmer will hate me for the the rest of his life and always shit cans me or my companies when given the chance (yep, I get told).

2.    The 45yr old Sales Manager  didn’t use any of my intellectual property or customer lists (unsurprising since I fired him for incompetence in the first place), but had nothing  to say about us afterwards (nothing good or bad).
3.    The 20yr old accounts clerk still refers business my way 10 years later (even to my new businesses!).

Firing well can even be part of your business model.  Consider this; virtually every exMcKinsey consultant you meet, was let go by the firm (I believe every two years its either up or out).  However their ex-employee’s are known as Alumni and get access to firm resources and networks for the rest of their life.  Surprise, surprise; a major source of new business for McKinsey & Co. is ex employees calling in their “Alma Mater”.

Since we are heading towards an almost recession, many Australian’s will have the experience of being let go for the first time – and its always personal for the person getting the bullet.  So you have a choice.  Either act with integrity and think creatively when you terminate which can lead to a free sales force, or expect the worst in others and generate “Ambassadors of Hate” when you fire them.

To be honest I’m happy if you treat people like shit when you terminate them.  Because If I ever end up employing them they are guaranteed to spill their guts about the weaknesses of your business and your plans.
Have a think about that.

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