Jeffrey Ross, Glenoe Associates

Monday, July 22, 2013

Decision Making (or Not)

It has been my experience both when I owned my own business and while working with clients: the Decision Making Process is arduous, difficult and sometimes gut wrenching and very time consuming.

      Example: Termination of long time employee(s)

I found this to be the most difficult of all decision. People who had been with me for many years were just not able to perform as the business grew. They had reached their “Peter Principle” - the level of their incompetence. They were dragging down their co-workers, slowing growth and causing co-workers and themselves not to receive bonuses. Working with them for long periods of time, coaching them to change, were fruitless.  But you just can’t seem to terminate them.

Well, you finally decide it has to be done. When it’s over and they are gone, you look at yourself in the mirror and ask “Why didn't I do this a long time ago? Everything is running a lot smoother. My team is happier, productivity has increased dramatically and teams are receiving bonuses again! Why did I wait so long?"

You waited so long because you're human.  You weren't just dealing with numbers on a spreadsheet; you were dealing with people who you've known for years. There is no easy answer to these situations, and each situation is different. I am not advocating “pulling the trigger” too soon. However, putting off the inevitable for too long can cost you a lot on the long run. I know, I've been there.

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