The Unspoken Rule: Why Smart Leaders Never Talk Badly About Former Employees

We’ve all heard the advice: Never badmouth a former employer—it makes you look unprofessional. But here’s a perspective that rarely gets the same attention: why should managers never badmouth employees who have left?

It happens more often than we admit. A key team member leaves, and suddenly, their shortcomings become the topic of casual office chatter. “She wasn’t really a team player anyway.” “His work was never quite up to standard.” “It’s for the best—she didn’t fit our culture.”

The problem? While this might feel like harmless venting or a way to justify their departure, it sends a much bigger and more damaging message to those who remain.

1. It Creates an Unsafe Environment for Current Employees

The workplace is built on trust—not just between employees and leadership, but among colleagues. When a manager speaks negatively about a former employee, it triggers an unspoken question in the minds of those who are still there:

"What will they say about me when I leave?"

This kind of uncertainty doesn’t foster loyalty or engagement—it breeds paranoia. Employees who were close to the person who left may feel uneasy or even question their own standing in the company. It makes them less likely to be open, take risks, or voice concerns, out of fear that they could be next on the receiving end of post-departure criticism.

A study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that poor management practices, including negative communication, significantly impact employee motivation and retention. Specifically, 50% of workers who rated their managers poorly planned to leave their company within the next year, and only 34% felt motivated to do a good job.

2. It Reflects Poorly on the Manager’s Own Abilities

If someone was such a poor performer or a bad cultural fit, the natural question is: why were they hired in the first place? And if they weren’t a bad hire but still struggled, then why wasn’t there better coaching, clearer feedback, or stronger leadership in place to help them succeed?

By blaming the employee after they leave, a manager inadvertently highlights their own shortcomings—either in hiring, developing, or retaining talent. Great leaders take ownership. They acknowledge when a role or a team dynamic didn’t work out, but they don’t deflect responsibility onto those who have already moved on.

Research published in Fast Company highlights that managers often fall into the trap of the "fundamental attribution error," where they overattribute negative outcomes to an individual's personality rather than considering situational factors. This bias can lead to unjustified negative perceptions of former employees, reflecting poorly on the manager's judgment and leadership.

3. Reputation Travels Fast

The professional world is small—especially within industries, cities, and networks. A manager who repeatedly badmouths former employees gains a reputation—not as a strong leader, but as someone who lacks professionalism and emotional intelligence.

No matter how justified a leader might feel in critiquing a former employee, there’s one undeniable truth: people talk.

Worse yet, former employees don’t just disappear. They become future potential clients, business partners, or even (plot twist) your boss at another company down the road. A manager’s words today may shape the professional relationships they will rely on in the future.

An article from Right Attitudes emphasizes that employees look to managers for support and opportunities for improvement. When managers engage in badmouthing, it undermines trust and damages their professional reputation.

So, What Should Leaders Do Instead?

If someone asks about a former employee’s departure, keep it neutral, factual, and professional. Instead of:

• “She wasn’t a great fit for our culture.”
• “She was looking for an opportunity that better aligned with her long-term goals.”

Instead of:

• “He struggled with deadlines and wasn’t reliable.”
• “His strengths lay in other areas, and he’s now exploring a role that suits him better.”

And when possible? Say something genuinely positive. Even if an employee didn’t work out, they likely made meaningful contributions along the way. Recognizing that not only preserves trust with your team but strengthens your reputation as a leader.

Talking negatively about past employees might feel momentarily validating, but in the long run, it damages the trust of your current team, your credibility as a leader, and your own professional reputation. So, the next time an employee leaves—whether it was on good or complicated terms—resist the urge to rewrite their story to fit your narrative. Instead, choose the high road. It’s a much better view from up there.