Can you be friends with people you might have to fire?
Recently I was interviewed for the Cherry Health Podcast.
It was a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, with thoughtful questions and a nice blend of humour.
Dr. Jordan asked about being friends with your team members. I paused and responded with a question of my own … Can you be friends with people you might have to fire?
You can watch my full response below.
And I ask, what do you think?
Can you be friends with people you might have to fire?
Keep Leading: Your Next Steps on Accountability and Culture
Dive deeper into the foundational skills required to lead high-functioning, ethical teams with these related top-rated articles:
1 Culture & Team Foundation (Addressing the Systemic Failure) These articles focus on the proactive steps leaders must take to build the resilient teams and mindset needed to prevent the failure described above.
5 Steps You Can Use To Build a “First Team” Mindset – Focuses on aligning senior leaders to work as a single, cohesive unit, directly counteracting the gossip and fracturing seen in the case study.
Humble, Hungry, and Smart – Get Your Hiring Interview Guide – Addresses the root problem of hiring by ensuring new leaders possess the foundational virtues necessary for team health and integrity.
2. Integrity & Personal Resilience (Addressing the Personal Failure) These articles speak directly to the character and fortitude required to address and navigate toxic behaviour and professional disappointment.
Moral Courage: The Most Important Leadership Characteristic – Explores the necessary courage to challenge peers, uphold standards, and refuse to engage in back-channels—the antithesis of the toxic behaviour described.
4 tips to Keep it Together and Avoid Crying at Work – Provides practical advice on maintaining emotional regulation and professionalism during the high-stakes, stressful dialogues and conflicts that senior leaders must face.
3. The Impact & Dialogue (Understanding the Costs and Solutions) These articles provide context on the high cost of the problem and the tools needed for effective, respectful leadership conversations.
The High Cost of Poor Leadership – Quantifies the organizational damage caused by the leadership failures detailed in the article.
27 Powerful Open-Ended Leadership Questions – Provides a practical resource for senior leaders to initiate respectful, high-stakes dialogue and to serve as a structured forum, as the article recommends.