When a leader has to let a team member go, the emotional side of the decision always comes up. But, as I mentioned in the first part of this series, taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture can sometimes help reduce the stress that comes with it.
One such situation is when someone is let go due to a disciplinary issue. In these cases, we often hear arguments like: “He’s been working here for 35 years...” “She has two small kids…” “We won’t manage without him…” “It wasn’t that serious…”
Thoughts like these can cloud our judgment. But as leaders, we have to prioritize the interests of the whole organization over those of one individual. With disciplinary actions, we can’t only think about how the consequences affect that one person—we also have to consider how they affect the team and the company as a whole.
- In a high-risk work environment, imagine a colleague who’s been with the company for 35 years fails an alcohol test. If we let it slide, what happens when someone who’s been here only two years fails the same test? What does it say about us as leaders if some people get away with it while others don’t? Can we really say we’re committed to safety if we turn a blind eye to alcohol use? And who’s responsible if that same colleague shows up drunk again next week and causes an accident? The answer is clear: the leader who allowed him to stay.
- It might seem less serious, but what if someone is caught napping in the back storage room? If there are no consequences, others will follow. And if someone can take home a battery without anyone caring, what’s to stop someone else from walking off with a scanner?
Company values and rules only hold up if we enforce them consistently. That’s non-negotiable. And the more tempting it is to ignore a violation—to be “nice” or “flexible”—the more powerful it becomes when we don’t look the other way. When we treat the long-time team member the same as someone who’s only been here for six months, the message becomes crystal clear. But if we make exceptions, we weaken the whole system.
There’s another common situation—not a disciplinary issue, but one that has a similar impact on company culture. Let’s say a senior team member with unique knowledge demands a raise and says, “Otherwise, I’ll leave.” If we give in out of fear of losing them, others will notice. Soon enough, we’ll have a line of people outside our office trying the same thing. And our credibility as leaders will suffer—because we’ve shown we can be pressured. Raises should be given transparently, based on clear rules and structure.
In all these situations, the best strategy is to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and focus on the long-term impact. The good of the whole must outweigh the comfort of the few. It won’t make these decisions easy—but it will give us a solid framework to make them with clarity and confidence.
