June 6, 2008
Cutting Loose
Someone asked me this question today, “Ernie, why do you fire people?” My answer has got nothing to do with anger or discontent, as a matter of fact, it may surprise you to hear me say, that when I fire someone I’m actually helping them. No. I’m not a sick, twisted individual who takes pleasure in cracking someone’s rice bowl – but I asked you this; if you run an organization and you really want your people to succeed – you give them six months to prove themselves but they don’t – don’t you think it’s better to let then go so they can find what their true calling is? Well, that’s how I look at it. I’ve never fired anyone based on personal reasons, but when mistakes are made repeatedly – should they be kept? I can’t focus my energies on one person alone when I have not one but several companies to run. If one individual is bringing the whole team down, I believe it is my duty to make sure that they go. Brutal? Some of you might think so – but try running a company and perhaps you’ll see what I mean.
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10 comments:
Sometimes, we have to do what we must in order to maintain a balance in the cosmos. Firing bad seed is just one those things. I remember this story about a young boy who had to help his grandfather pick and store apples for the coming winter and he was told that all the apples must be blemish free. After stacking everything up, the boy spotted an apple with a tiny bruise. He didn't bother removing it thinking such a tiny brown spot couldn't possibly do much harm. So he closed the barn door and went on his merry way. A few weeks later, the boy was sent to fetch some stored apples and he was shocked to find that not two or three apples were damanged, but am entire crate - all because of one bad apple...
The concept of reality is simple. It's either you face it or you're a loser because the world is not created for only one person. For the useless one, ask them to leave as there's no point staying..BTW, it would be good if i could clone the best people to work with me.
I totally agree with you and I like the way you function. Really inspiring. Thank you.
I like your brutal style charm6781. This is definitely what it is all about. Are people still asleep? Wake up and smell the roses that we need to be performing inorder to be rewarded. It is time.
Before this i always think that bosses who fire people around are indeed very cruel but Ernie got a point here. It kind of changes the way i think about that now. So to those out there who have been through this, you really gotta thank your boss for letting you to be where you are today!
I agree with you..
the bad seed will starting spreading the disatisfaction around. Thou great one will not get influence, but the working environment has become more and more unhealthy!
i have faced this before, our supervisor in my ex-company (XXXX), sleeping in front of us during office hour.. haha, what should the company do to him then? C'mon!
Having a good working environment is crucial. Great job to you boss by taking immediate action.
Crayongal...
If you former Boss sleeps in the office in front of you in the office, then you havwe to see if he really deserves to take a nap. We are speaking about results and not just being in the office. If we can get people to produce results, then it does not matter if they sleep at all.
In many ways, the work of a comment is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our comment. We thrive on a comment, which is easy to share, but the bitter truth our comment must face is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our comments designating it so.
But there are times when a comment truly risks something and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends.
Monday afternoon, I experienced something new, an extraordinary "sharing" from a singularly expected source. To say that both the sharing and the individual who shared have challenged my preconceptions about fine education/business is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core,
In the past, I have made no secret of my respect for Ernie’s wisdom and brilliance. But I realize only now do I truly understand what he meant.
Not everyone can become a great entrepreneur, but a great entrepreneur can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now working at the company, who is, in this judgment’s opinion, nothing less than the finest individual in the corporate industry.
I will be personally returning to Ernie soon, hungry for more.
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