Sometimes You Have to Be the Executioner Dudley Slater
Organizations are not democracies. They demand strong leadership, and strong leaders must prioritize the interests of the organization over any one individual — even nice, well-meaning people like Todd.
T
alk about the toughest reality of leadership.
Todd stopped eating after only a few bites of his breakfast. His devastation was evidenced by the pale look on his face and his steaming breakfast, which sat untouched and growing cold as the impact of my words sank in. Only moments earlier I had said to him, "I'm sorry, but I am terminating you." An otherwise upbeat guy, Todd seemed to drift off at that moment. Perhaps he was wondering how he would tell his wife and kids. Perhaps he was wondering how he would pay his mortgage or provide for his family. That horrible breakfast was more than 15 years ago, and I now know that Todd landed on his feet — helped by our generous severance package. We corresponded recently, and I delighted in learning that he still wants to keep in touch. Todd seems more resilient and capable of moving on than I am. My gut still aches when I think about that morning and the awful responsibility I assumed in making the decision to terminate Todd. At that time, I did not appreciate the critical importance and necessity of wielding the axe for the sake of the organization. At that time, I had no idea our business would grow to employ more than 2,000 people, becoming one of the 10 largest companies in our industry. At that time, I simply wanted to leave the restaurant and escape the pain I felt after devastating Todd and his family. To this day, terminating employees, at all levels, remains the most painful and difficult experience of my career. That pain was especially acute when it involved people like Todd, who worked hard, brought a good attitude, and committed themselves to the company. A fusion leader, which I aspire to be, understands that the welfare of the organization is more important than any individual. Fusion leaders, as the name implies, emphasize behaviors that "fuse"
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