Many managers let anxiety drive the firing process instead of intellect, making a difficult moment even worse - and merely farming the dirty work out to a human resources associate is not good enough, says Harvard Business Review.
"One of the hardest things to do as a manager is to tell an employee he's fired. Here are three tips for handling this gut-wrenching situation:
Bring answers
When a person is let go, he's likely to have a lot of questions and concerns. Come prepared to address his logistical questions, such as when his last day is, how his peers will be notified, etc.
Listen, don't react
Losing a job can be traumatic. Don't get caught up in responding to your employee's emotions. Listen with respect. Offer to talk again later when the emotions are not so raw.
Talk to your team
Firing an employee affects everyone on your team. Not only does it change work assignments, but people might also wonder about their own job security. Share what information you can to reassure the people left behind."
Today's management tip was adapted from Firing Someone the Right Way by Ron Ashkenas.