Keeping An Underperforming Employee Could Cost You Your Job

A business owner seeking advice about an employee he wanted to fire for 11 years highlights a common leadership failure: keeping underperformers too long. The article argues that inaction may feel safer because decisions to terminate get more scrutiny, and waiting can look like fairness. But it warns that delayed action carries costs, including the loss of top employees, a culture where the team learns performance has no consequences, and declining leadership credibility. It also notes that in large companies, leaders sometimes reorganize or move struggling executives to other departments rather than addressing the issue directly. The piece recommends setting a deadline for the decision to avoid letting the situation worsen, and it discusses the broader impact on replacements and payroll.