Okay, let me start by saying most employees don’t want to get fired. Most employers don’t want to fire you. There are occasions where firings or terminations, do occur. Fair enough?
Let’s talk about the art of getting fired.
What is termination? Simply, an employer and employee part ways. How it is done. When it is done. Why it is done depends on the situation. Let‘s call getting fired or firing someone situational management.
Depending on where you live and what you do for a living, getting fired can be a real possibility. It can cause anguish, stress, anger, disbelief, tears, tantrums, and other behaviors.
If you live in an at-will state, you can be fired for anything. That’s anytime, without notice and/or without being given a reason. Even if I don’t like your tie or wouldn’t wear those pumps with that purse.
Promoted to full-time customer
The work environment sometimes doesn’t favor the person getting fired. Let‘s say it’s a Tuesday and everyone is clipping along. The boss and his boss, the DM or DHRM, rolls in and abruptly calls someone into the conference room. Imagine that the conference room in the corner of a giant store.
What you don’t realize is that many of your co-workers know what is going to happen. They have seen this before. The summoned associate is in some sort of trouble.
One store I know of had a custom of humming the death march while you walked to the conference room. They lovingly hum as you walk across the store. The walk can take 1-2 minutes. Pretty hilarious as long as your name wasn’t called. Brutal.
Getting hauled in is one thing
Getting the news is quite another.
Let me tell you, once you are told you are done, you are done. As you were walking through the store, your computer access, email, and browser set up are being yanked.
See the file in front of the DM? See your last check in the envelope? You are history. I mean you are kaput! In the next few moments, you will be promoted to a full-time customer.
You may even be escorted out of the building by Loss Prevention. If you are big enough, being perp-walked by the LP professional is a feather in HIS cap. At your expense. Yes, the sweetest of feathers.
A year can disappear in a moment. So can a career.
Fitting in when you don’t fit in
Getting fired or not also depends on how you fit into the role. Sometimes you don’t fit no matter what you do.
Say the new hire is used to being the driving force in their previous jobs. The power in the power play. You have hired him/her for a role that involves following instructions exactly. Success is measured according to the person‘s track record in achieving stats. See how that isn’t a fit?
Well, it is unless the manager isn’t willing to communicate. Shouldn’t they be working with the others? You know, maybe work through issues as they come up till the new hire is a fully functioning team member.
Beware of marauding Huns
If you are expected to shut your mouth and follow the rules. If your gut tells you there will be no discussion, you may have to toe the line. If so, high performers will create a shark tank style office. Even if they are nice, shiny, friendly to your face (for a short while) producers.
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Don’t ask too many questions or challenge the status quo. Be careful not to make too many procedural errors either. The cumulative effect can cost you your job.
This team is out for themselves. They get nourishment from stats. They fly in formation. Think of them as marauding Huns.
They are synchronized. If you can’t keep pace, you have no prayer. They trust no one. Don’t trust them. Keep your comments to yourself. Thinking you can trust any of them is in itself wrong thinking.
Challenge the status quo and the response is a recitation of the rules and regs, it’s the beginning of the end. You don’t want the choir singing to you.
Your efforts to build trust and advice networks may be well-intentioned but is a waste of time. Better work on knowing the rules and putting up stats. Otherwise, you are a goner. It is one or the other. Sink or swim.
Progressive discipline can buy you time
If your employer is fair progressive discipline can help you make adjustments. PD may well keep you working. Without it, you are more or less ripped out by the root when they can you.
Firing someone on the spot works best if you steal something, fistfighting, or are drunk on the job.
Progressive discipline is the “one-two-three-final write up “strategy. Many companies use this strategy. After the third warning, you get canned. Take the hint. Consider heading for the door on the third or fourth written warning. Once they have you on a final warning, they can fire you for anything.
PD works well for poor job performance or policy violations. At least you get notified that something has to change. It helps you realize your days are numbered. It lets you know that you should be working on the old resume tonite. Instead of throwing darts with Larry and Kevin.
Getting fired isn’t that bad really. The sting of losing a job in a company you like or love stays with you.
But think of it in the most positive way. It wasn’t meant to be.
It wasn’t what you were supposed to be doing.
TWITTER with dp @dpatlarge
