After almost 10 years of leading Capital Campaign Pro, and a decade before that as a solopreneur consultant, I’ve hired and parted ways with a lot of staff and contractors. It’s never fun, and it’s never easy.
Hiring is one of the most challenging parts of leadership, whether you’re running a business or a nonprofit. And parting ways is almost always painful for everyone involved:
— Someone is blindsided.
— Someone is unemployed.
— Someone is short-staffed.
And while it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise to either party, it usually does.
Telling My First Boss I Had to Resign — A Personal Story
I’ll never forget telling my first boss I was leaving. She cried. And that broke my heart.
It was my first fundraising job. I was there for three years, learned an enormous amount, and genuinely adored my boss. But I was young and ambitious, and the shop was small (I was the only fundraiser).
My boss wasn’t a fundraiser, so we were making it up as we went. After finishing my master’s degree, I wanted the experience of a larger organization. So I sought out and accepted a new job. It was sad for both of us, but I needed to have another experience.
Hiring and Firing Staff: X Tips for Leaders
My tenure as an employee, and as the owner of a business, has taught me many things over the years. I’ve been on both sides of the hiring and firing (and been fired by clients — not fun!).
1. Hire slowly.
Take the time to find as many candidates as possible. Reach outside of your network the best you can. Ideally you should have at least three or more qualified people to compare.
Check references thoroughly. Scroll their social media feeds. Yellow flags have a way of turning red in hindsight. The time you spend before making a hiring decision can save you months of heartache later.
2. Fire quickly.
Once you sense someone isn’t working out, don’t agonize over it for months. Document, document, document. Share feedback, discuss course correction, and set a timeline for improvement.
One of my biggest leadership mistakes — holding on too long to someone who wasn’t a fit.
I once worked somewhere with an accountant who was verbally abusive toward the women in our small five-person office. He was the only man, and his behavior was hostile and demeaning.
Our boss, who was smart and thoughtful in so many other ways, still took months to let him go. When she finally did, we seriously discussed hiring a security guard. We were that afraid.
In my experience, no matter how much you agonize over the decision, once someone is let go, there’s almost always relief for you and for the people around you.
3. Hold on to your best employees!
If you’re lucky enough to have a great team, do everything you can to keep them.
Tell them what you appreciate about their work. Give them raises. Offer extra time off. Create room for growth and professional development. The cost of replacing a capable team member far outweighs the cost of keeping them.
Finding Good People is Hard (but Worthwhile)
It won’t always go the way you hope. But being intentional about how you hire, how you fire, and how you invest in the people who are working well is what makes organizations and leaders thrive.
Here are a few helpful posts about hiring strong people for your cause:
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