Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

Tip Sheet #24

Looking at termination, part II -Why do people really get fired? 

Maybe I am naive but I believe most people do not get fired because they cannot do the job.  For some this may be true; they are just in over their heads.  Or perhaps they have worked their way up in the chain of command and they do not possess the management skills needed at this higher level.  In contrast to this, I will argue that most people end up losing their jobs because of some personal flaw.  And the sad thing is that these people never see what quality is missing in their individual make-up.  So, let us start to create a list of why people really get fired.  Namely:

• Failure to accept personal responsibility-Right to the end, these people will never see anything as their own fault. Someone else always caused the problem and they were just an innocent victim. No matter how one my point this out to them or how obvious it is to someone else, they will never hold themselves accountable.
• Poison to the culture-The person becomes toxic to the environment. Everything that they touch turns to stone.  They not only impact their close neighbors in your school but if they are allowed to fester their poisonous tentacles will reach much further than just your school.  They will only be happy when the entire district is poisoned
• They are miserable-These folks are just unhappy about everything. They walk around with a droopy face never smiling or making eye contact with anyone.  Their personal life reflects the same miserable attitude.  This is the person that puts a calendar on the corkboard the first day of school counting the days until the last day in June.
• The constant complainer-This person loves to hear themselves complain and the sad thing is that they just love company. They serve as a magnet to other complainers.  Somehow these people tend to find each other and if they were allowed they would sit and complain together the entire day.  I am sure they call each other on the phone at night to continue the complaining.  They always end up finding a “complaining post” in your building.  Watch out for the secretary’s desk or the reception area.  You will see these folks buzzing like bees around a hive, complaining.  You must work hard identifying the complaining posts and work to eliminate them.
• Habitually late and tardy-These people figure that sick days are given to them to use for any reason and you have to pace yourself to make sure they are all used up by the end of the year. They do not realize that sick days are to be used when you are sick. They also cannot come to work on time.  You know if you come to work daily and on time and possessing a decent attitude you may have a job for life.
• Disregard of deadlines and paperwork-I do not know anyone who loves mundane paperwork and we all will tend to push a deadline but these are necessary evils of the job. I am sure you know the teachers who will be always late turning in their grades or who feel deadlines are unnecessary and are for other people.  You will get the work when they are ready to submit it.  You cannot run an organization this way.
• Show no initiative and constantly question authority- These people do the bare minimum and somehow, they are proud of it.  They will not bend over to pick up one piece of paper or move a chair because it is not their job.  When you ask them to do something they ask why just like a 13-year-old child.
• They just cannot get along with people-These folks can annoy and antagonize people just by being around them. They have been born with this special skill and have worked hard to hone it. And of course, it is never about them.

I think my list could go on and on with little to do with the actual requirements of the job. Surviving on a job for me is quite simple.  Show up on time, be a positive contributor, go the extra mile, ask the right question and work hard.

You see it is all about effort and attitude.  It can’t get any easier.