This is the supporting deck for a 40-minute talk at the KL CTO Summit on how great entrepreneurs fire employees!

1. FINDING YOUR INNER
HATCHET MAN
7 WAYS GREAT ENTREPRENEURS FIRE EMPLOYEES

2. Eric Tachibana
Professional Services,
Area Practice Manager
for Asia

3. QUICK SCOPE CHECK
FIRING CIRCUMSTANCE COVERED TODAY?
Performance Gaps YES
Contractual Breaches NO
Retrenchment NO

4. GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF FIRING
Everyone is a star in some role
As a manager, your responsibility
is to help them in their search for
that role

5. KICK-OFF QUESTION
What is the first step in firing
well?

6. 01SOURCE WELL

7. 01 SOURCE WELL
• What will they be doing in their role?
• How will success be measured
• What skills will they need in order to
succeed? What do they need coming in, and
what can be trained
• What personal qualities will help them excel?
• Make objectives SMART
• Select the right interviewers and pre-brief
them

8. 02INVEST IN EVALUATION

9. 02INVEST IN EVALUATION
• Be regular
• Be honest, explicit, fair, and listen
• Stay positive and future focused
• Document
Suggestion: I do mine quarterly

10. 03INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT

11. 03INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT
CATEGORY OF WORKER
STARS
POTENTIALS
WORK HORSES
UNDER ACHIEVERS

12. 03INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT
CATEGORY OF
WORKER
% OF YOUR TEAM
IN THIS CATEGORY
STARS 10%
POTENTIALS 30%
WORK HORSES 50%
UNDER ACHIEVERS 10%

13. 03INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT
CATEGORY OF
WORKER
% OF YOUR TEAM
IN THIS CATEGORY
YOUR
BUDGET
STARS 10% 50%
POTENTIALS 30% 30%
WORK HORSES 50% 20%
UNDER ACHIEVERS 10% 0%

14. 03INVEST IN DEVELOPMENT
CATEGORY OF
WORKER
% OF YOUR TEAM
IN THIS CATEGORY
YOUR
BUDGET
YOUR
TIME
STARS 10% 50% 10%
POTENTIALS 30% 30% 50%
WORK HORSES 50% 20% 20%
UNDER ACHIEVERS 10% 0% 20%
Suggestion: I prune annually

15. CHECKPOINT ONE!
Scribble down one thing you can do
differently from tomorrow onwards
based on the first 3 rules
1. Source Well
2. Invest in Evaluation
3. Invest in Development

16. 04PREPARE BEFORE YOU
SWING THE AXE

17. 04PREPARE BEFORE YOU SWING
• Know the law
• Have your script, FAQ and other materials
(like tissue paper) ready
• Know the severance package details
• Choose the right environment & day
• Ensure security protocols and know walk-out
policy
• Rehearse

18. 05BE HONEST & EMPATHETIC

19. 05 BE CLEAR, HONEST &
EMPATHETIC
• Let the employee have air time, but don’t
apologize or back peddle
• Let the employee compose himself/herself
• Keep to the plot. Be clear, quick & firm,
it’s not a discussion or argument

20. CHECKPOINT TWO!
Scribble down one thing you can do
differently from tomorrow onwards
based on the last 2 rules
4. Prepare before you swing the axe
5. Be clear, honest and empathetic

21. 06CLEAN UP THE BLOOD

22. 06CLEAN UP THE BLOOD
• Exit interview
• Leavers processes
• Huh? What happened?

23. 07SETTLE THE SURVIVORS

24. 07SETTLE THE SURVIVORS
• Respect the privacy of individuals, but
debrief the team
• De-stress the firing team. Don’t go home
and kick your dog!
Even if you know it is coming and you know
it is right, it is still traumatic for absolutely
everyone

25. CHECKPOINT THREE!
Scribble down one thing you can do
differently from tomorrow onwards
based on the last 2 rules
6. Clean up the blood
7. Settle the survivors

26. GOOD LUCK!!!!
Eric Tachibana @ Linked-in
ERICTACH@AMAZON.COM