The firing of Willie Randolph by the New York Mets has been widely seen as a colossal human resources disaster. Yet it also provided lessons across corporate America on the right and wrong way to fire someone.
The dismissal, according to HR experts, seemed especially callous since it came in the middle of the night (12:00 Pacific time) and was done away from Mr. Randolph's home, his family and support network. In the second game of a western road trip, the firing came after a 9-6 win against the Anaheim Angels. Speaking to Newsday, Bill Heather, senior vice president of Right Management, says that apart from a firing for some unethical breach, you do it "as conveniently for the person as possible."
The timing was also poor since the Mets had just won their third victory in four games. The organization appeared to have made up its mind for days, if not weeks, yet Mr. Randolph faced scrutiny from the public and his own players. "It's bad form," said Mr. Heather. The organization appeared to be saying, "It looks like you're coming back right now, so we're firing you."
Another fault was having other employees hear about the dismissal from outsiders rather than from the organization. While the firing sent a bad message to consumers (e.g., Mets fans), the more harmful message was sent to other employees in the organization and Mr. Randolph's replacement about how management treats employees.
Doug Silverman, a senior human resources manager at Nikon, told Newsday that Mr. Randolph's firing showed "poor communication and poor judgment. They didn't think about perception."
Bruce Dingman, founder and president of the recruiter, Dingman Co., Westlake Village, Calif., told the Star-Ledger that owners, typically entrepreneurs, are often concerned about the end result instead of following a logical process when firing someone.
"The right way is to sit down in private and when you make the announcement, make the announcement with him," says Mr. Dingman. "It's an amicable parting. Otherwise, it's sort of tacky. It's like you've been dating a woman and considering marriage and you walk away without saying anything. It's tacky, and it should be a red flag for the next person."
"Firing people is such a sensitive thing," adds David Weissman, labor lawyer at Reed Smith New York, to the Star-Ledger. "You want to treat people with respect. You want them to feel dignified. You don't want to demoralize them. The more positive the experience, the less likely you'd end up in some type of litigation."
Discussion Questions: What are some common mistakes companies make when firing someone, whether at retail or the corporate level? What have you learned from having to fire someone, or being fired yourself?