Here’s a great question I received through the blog about what to do when you need to let someone go.

I am a veterinarian and have an associate I am planning on letting go. He is very nice and great with the team, but his medicine is not in line with mine, he hasn’t taken a leadership role and avoids confrontation at all costs. I will be letting him go mid-January and am planning on giving him two months’ severance pay. Should I tell him ahead of time and let him continue working or let him know he’s fired the day I let him go?

Any advice would be truly appreciated. I have been struggling with this decision for more than a year. – Anonymous

Hey Anonymous,

I wouldn’t say anything until the day you let him go. Once you do, his heart will leave. Therefore, his butt should as well. :-) I’m so glad you’ve been struggling with this as opposed to it being easy. It shows your heart.

If you’re firing him because his medicine isn’t the same as yours, great. If it’s because of a lack of leadership or confrontation, I would suggest to you that it’s about personality style. He loves people but can’t handle conflict. Therefore, if he can get his medicine is in line with yours, I would keep him for the day-to-day team member work and not give him a leadership position.

What would you tell our friend?