9: When You Need to Fire Someone

Firing someone is always an instance of disappointment, right? Whether you hired that person or someone else did, somebody had hopes that this person would thrive in their role, that it would be good for them and good for the organization.

It's tough to do firing well. But when you have the responsibility to hire and fire, the Christian thing to do is not to avoid firing people, but rather to take responsibility for the thriving of the whole team and the whole organization—which sometimes, sadly, includes letting people go.

If we ever need to fire someone, we need to learn to do it well. That applies whether it's formally firing someone from a job or asking someone to step down from a volunteer team or committee. When we handle these conversations in a Christlike spirit, we can actually love people through the process.

Take the course at FindingGodAtWork.org.

Sources: Mark 1:32-38 (NIV)

Edwin H. Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix, 10th anniversary rev. ed. (New York: Church Publishing, 2017).

Bobb Biehl, Firing Star – Video, Tools, Organizational Development Series.

#FindingGodAtWork #FaithAndWork #Vocation #Disappointment #CareerChanges #Firing #FiringSomeone #EdwinFriedman #SelfDifferentiation #DifferentiatedLeader #BobbBiehl #Resentment #Love #Burnout #Disillusionment #Layoffs #LaidOff #GettingFired #Quitting #MoralInjury #Failure #DreamJob #ToxicWorkplace #ToxicBoss #WorkplaceDiscrimination #Pain #Suffering #Sorrow #FeelingEmpty #Lament #SufferingWithChrist #Perseverance #Healing #Purpose #Redemption #Restoration #DivineAppointments #MissionCentral