Guide
Know when it's time to let someone go
Recognise the signs that a role genuinely isn't working, rather than hoping it resolves itself.
Check whether the issue has actually been addressed
If a specific problem was never clearly raised and given a real chance to improve, that's worth doing first, before concluding it can't be fixed.
Look at the pattern, not a single bad week
Everyone has an off period. A sustained pattern despite clear feedback is a very different signal than a rough month.
Consider the effect on the rest of the team
A struggling hire doesn't just affect their own output, it often affects morale and workload for everyone around them. That cost is easy to underweight.
Get a second, honest opinion
If you have a co-founder, mentor, or trusted advisor, a second perspective helps confirm whether this is truly the right call.
That’s the whole thing.
Keep going
What to read next
- 01
Letting Someone Go
Prepare properly before the conversation
Get the practical and human details right before you sit down to let someone go.
- 02
Letting Someone Go
Have the conversation with care and clarity
Deliver difficult news directly and respectfully, without dragging it out or softening it into confusion.
- 03
Letting Someone Go
Handle the aftermath, for the team and for you
Manage what happens next, for the remaining team, the departing employee, and yourself.