By Steve Adubato, PhD

How an organization fires someone communicates a lot about its values. It speaks volumes about an organization’s culture as well as the integrity of its leaders. Firing someone—particularly a high profile figure—is never easy. However, the really great leaders understand that in such challenging times, how you let someone go is also an opportunity to communicate to internal and external key stakeholders.

Consider the embarrassing way the New York Mets handled the firing of manager Willie Randolph. Forget about baseball. This organizational debacle has become an instant case study for how not to communicate and lead in challenging times.

Q: So what exactly did the Mets do wrong in how Randolph was fired?

A: So many things. First, the Mets leadership tried to let Randolph go on the QT. They did it in the middle of the night. The general manager of the Mets, Omar Minaya, went out to Las Angeles and told Randolph he was being fired after a Mets game with the LA Dodgers. At 3:14 a.m. the Mets sent out an official e-mail announcing Randolph’s firing. I guess they figured they could minimize the public relations fallout by doing this at such an odd hour, but they were wrong.

The Mets GM was forced to hold a press conference the next day to answer questions not only about the firing, but more importantly how it was executed and communicated. At the press conference, the GM was not prepared for the tough questions that were likely to come. A big communication mistake. He hemmed and hawed, was defensive and rambled about it being his decision and no one else’s. The Mets took a beating in the media well beyond what they would have if the Randolph firing were handled in a more professional and dignified fashion. It communicated the message that the Mets organization was in chaos.

Q: What is the impact on an organization and its leaders when such a situation occurs?

A: When the communication breaks down in the firing of a high profile or significant employee, it becomes hard to recruit others to key positions. It impacts team and employee morale and turns off many including those who may have even supported the firing in the first place but are uncomfortable in the way it was handled. It can cause dissention in the ranks. Additionally, key stakeholders and customers can lose respect for the organization and potentially become less loyal to organizational leaders.

Q: What are the keys to communicating more effectively when firing an employee, regardless of their rank in an organization?

A: Again, this is never easy, but if you are going to let someone go, be up front. Communicate directly to the employee that his or her job is in jeopardy and make it clear what needs to be done to change this course of action. Further, timing matters. Don’t do it in the middle of the night. Do it in broad daylight. Again, be up front and announce to key stakeholders that a decision has been made to let the employee go. Don’t trash the employee but make it clear that things “were not working out” and a “new direction” was needed to move the organization forward. Allow the employee the opportunity to say good bye to fellow workers and others they have dealt with for a long time. If possible, make the announcement of the firing in person, and not via e-mail, fax or other electronic communication means.
You never score points when firing someone, but you can definitely minimize the fallout by doing it with a plan that is well thought out and executed by leaders with integrity and solid communication skills. If not, the price that will be paid is a hefty one.