Bad Hire?!...Bite the bullet!

“How can I fire him? There is so much work overdue and no time to rehire! He is technically good and a nice person. Hopefully with tough feedback he will improve on his lack of commitment and in taking more ownership. But I feel drained investing so much time repeating the same feedback!”

These were the dilemmas posed during a leadership coaching session with a senior doctor and a medical officer at a global pharmaceutical company. She went on to add that, the team member was under-confident, unable to see the big picture and often dropped the ball on crucial commitments leaving her and the team irked. 

Leaders dealing with under-performing team members find themselves in a quandary on whether to nurture or exit such high maintenance colleagues. Another common issue is when the leader is unable to admit that they made a bad hire!

On many occasions, leaders go by their hunch to decide the way ahead. A drawback could be that any impulsive decision could backfire on them or on the organization. Businesses usually have set processes to review and develop under-performers and, in extreme cases, to retrench and replace them. Even here, the leader needs to take a clear call and weigh in the cost to either nurture or exit the team member.

Retaining a bad hire, and pardoning poor performance repeatedly, is the worst decision leaders can ever make. It weakens the leader and the team by lowering the latter’s morale and respect for the former, not to mention their utter disregard towards the under performer!

After following the set internal processes such as - direct feedback, performance improvement plans, independent monitoring, etc. – leaders will have to take a firm decision on whether to retain or remove. Every additional day the bad hire spends within their midst, the workplace can turn toxic and unmanageable. In worst cases, a contagion develops where others begin to lower their performance and lose their will to remain motivated.

So, leaders should have the humility to bite the bullet and not overimagine the hopes of a turnaround story. To manage more than one rotten apple can be a drain on their own and the team’s resources, and ultimately blot their own leadership style and career growth!