Letting Go with Dignity: Leadership in Layoffs

The Hardest Call

Letting someone go is one of the most difficult responsibilities of leadership. In the realm of leadership, few tasks are as daunting and emotionally charged as letting someone go. It's a moment that tests our character, composure, and commitment to both individual well-being and the collective health of our organization. It isn't just a business decision; it's an emotional, ethical, and cultural decision that affects lives far beyond the workplace.

How you handle it determines not only your leadership integrity but also the well-being of your team and the individual being let go—and their families. Yet, firing someone doesn't just impact them emotionally; it also impacts you. It impacts your inner sense of satisfaction—your completion.

Take On Holistic Leadership

When approached with wisdom, dignity, and empathy, this challenging process can also be an opportunity for your inner growth. A chance to affirm who you are and what you stand for.

Take some time to generate inner congruence and affirm your alignment with your core values. Anchor yourself to how you define the greater good. Define what matters to you most, and decide to stay committed to it. This is a real opportunity to reaffirm your connection with your spiritual essence. Fully own your inner goodness.

Leadership often demands making difficult decisions—ones that may feel uncomfortable yet are essential for the well-being of both the organization and its people. It requires balancing business priorities with human impact, taking responsibility for culture, and sometimes making the tough call to part ways with individuals when alignment is no longer present. True leadership isn’t about avoiding hard stands; it’s about taking them with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to the greater good.

Reaffirm your commitment to a thriving organizational culture and the well-being of everyone, including the individual being let go.

Have You Exhausted All Avenues?

Before taking this step, pause and reflect. Of course, the decision to part ways should always be a last resort, as it damages confidence and profoundly affects the well-being of families, often over the long term. Unfortunately, even in traditional societies where lifelong employment was once the norm and layoffs were rare, there has been a growing desensitization to this practice. Companies now readily resort to job cuts to protect the bottom line, responding to fluctuations in share prices and economic trends. Influenced by Western business principles, modern management worldwide prioritizes the profitability of the “going concern” at the expense of the well-being of its people.

What have you tried before coming to this step?

• If the business or economic trend is the issue, have you explored every other possible way to weather the storm?
• If performance is the issue, have you exhausted all other possibilities—feedback discussions, coaching, and training—to address performance concerns?

Fully Own the ‘Why’

Before any difficult conversation, you must first anchor yourself in absolute clarity. Why are you making this decision? Is it rooted in performance, cultural misalignment, or a fundamental shift in business needs? This introspection isn't merely about justifying your actions; it’s about owning and creating inner harmony to embrace the far-reaching consequences and taking full responsibility for the examples you set to affirm the culture you believe in.

Inaction Has a Cost Too

Delaying a decision when necessary can also have a cascading effect, impacting not only the individual involved but also the entire team and their families. The emotional toll of prolonged performance reviews, the subtle erosion of team morale, and the unspoken weight of unresolved issues or having a culturally ill-fitting person on the team impacts the environment.

What is the negative impact of delaying this decision?

• Repeated performance reviews and feedback meetings can emotionally drain the leader, the individual, and create prolonged stress in the team.
• Keeping someone whose performance or attitude is misaligned affects the morale and engagement of the entire team.
• The individual being let go may be struggling too—perhaps they are uninspired, disengaged, or out of alignment with their role. Holding onto the status quo may be limiting their own growth and potential.

We must acknowledge the far-reaching consequences of inaction and understand that true leadership often requires making difficult choices for the greater good.

Decisiveness with Compassion

Firing someone in the right way needs both - decisiveness and compassion. This is the moment to step into your authentic leadership and a commitment to the well-being of all involved. While taking the step to fire someone, can you stay genuinely invested in their well-being? What follows will hit their confidence. How can you soften the blow?

How can you support them through this transition?

• For example, can you offer your authentic mentorship—help them own their strengths and support them in refining their resume?

Communication: Invest in Creating Completion

The way we communicate this decision is paramount. Prepare for the conversation thoughtfully. It requires a delicate balance of honesty, empathy, and clarity.

Choose a private, respectful setting. Time it wisely.

Communication is complete when it leaves every party feeling that they have said their mind completely and have the satisfaction of being heard and understood. This is also possible when there is no agreement.

What do you need to say to be complete?

Here’s an example:

• Acknowledge your responsibility: “I am responsible for fostering a thriving, energetically positive culture. That includes ensuring everyone on this team is both contributing and thriving.”
• Your experience and efforts: “I know your strengths and value…yet, your performance has been far from adequate. Perhaps you have not felt engaged or inspired here. We have tried various approaches to address this (discussions, trainings, coaching, mentoring, etc.), but despite our efforts, it hasn’t worked well enough.”
• State the decision clearly, unambiguously: “Given this, we have made the decision to let you go. I want to acknowledge that this impacts you emotionally, financially, and in many other ways. I don’t take this lightly, and I feel the weight of this decision.”
• Offer support if possible: “I am committed to supporting you in this transition as far as within my means—whether by helping you recognize your strengths, refine your resume, or connect with other opportunities. I believe you have the following strengths that can help you have a great career in the future where you choose to work.”
• Create space for expression and closure: “I am also here to listen, if there’s anything you’d like to say.”

Give them space to process the news and offer follow-ups if needed.

Create space for them to express themselves, actively listening without judgment or conveying agreement or disagreement. This act of compassionate listening and helping others feel heard generates a sense of closure.

Make Room for Emotions. Integrate Them in Silence.

Such a decision is often marked with complex emotions – sadness, anger, fear, and uncertainty for everyone involved. Instead of rushing to move on, allow emotions to be felt without suppression. Create space for silence, allowing these feelings to integrate and heal. Emotions, when acknowledged and felt, release their hold, paving the way for new clarity and possibilities:

• For the individual: Let them express their thoughts without needing to justify or debate.
• For the team: Acknowledge that change affects everyone and be present for their emotions. Address their concerns and questions. Avoid creating a culture of fear; make it clear that terminations are not arbitrary but guided by values and fairness.
• For yourself: Recognize the emotional toll on yourself. Honor your own feelings. Sit with them, process them, and allow healing to happen.

When emotions are given space, they integrate. They pass.

Finally

Firing someone is never easy, but it can be done with grace, respect, and dignity. When handled with holistic leadership, it not only honors the individual but also strengthens the culture of the organization. It fosters trust, clarity, and emotional integrity. And most importantly, it allows everyone involved—yourself included—to step forward into a future that is more aligned, empowered, and whole.

Some additional considerations to keep in mind when letting someone go:

1. Ensure Legal, Financial and Ethical Compliance

2. Manage Security and Logistics Considerations

3. Manage the Team’s Morale and Culture

4. Consider an Exit Interview

5. Consider Long-Term Impact and Learn from experience

#Leadership #Coaching #Team-management #Lay-off