Article · 18 min read

The Best Approach to the Worst Conversation: How to Fire Someone

Michael Lopp (Rands) · First Round Review Free Intermediate

Lopp ran People Ops at Palantir and Pinterest, and his one non-negotiable rule is the one that saves a five-person team: a firing should never be a surprise. He walks the exact sequence, immediate feedback in the first 90 days, an informal pre-PIP conversation, then the formal talk, so by the time you part ways the person has already heard every concern. This is the mechanics behind being direct and kind, and it keeps the four people watching from concluding you fire without warning.

• The longer you avoid a performance problem, the less likely you can ever fix it, so raise it the week you notice it
• Never delegate the hard conversation to HR or a manager; own it directly, that is what the rest of the team is watching
• By the firing day the person should already know every concern, no surprises, because you documented and voiced them along the way