Driving Results

8People: Lesson #4

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

– Walt Disney

ON MORE THAN one occasion, the COO or I would meet with a well‐liked, high‐performing executive to inform that individual they were being let go. The reason: they weren't the right cultural fit for the organization we envisioned. We would thank them for their service and contributions to the company, sincerely wished them well and said goodbye. A member of the HR team would then take over and present them with their severance package. Early on, this was a shock for the organization.

For me, letting someone go, for just about any reason shy of unethical, inappropriate, or illegal conduct, was the worst part of managing others and leading a group and an organization. I hated it. But as much as I hated to do this, the decision also was usually straightforward. If we were going to achieve our goals, we had to have the right people in the right roles, and if an individual was not a good cultural fit for the organization, I had to act. In such situations, the organization came to expect it.

Business is a team sport. Having the right people in the right positions is critical for success. Hiring, firing, and promotion decisions are among the most important any businessperson can make. This is true for start‐ups and mature companies, conglomerates, and small operations, non‐profits, and for‐profit ventures. People loom large. ...