Kevin Surace explains why companies sometimes need to let go of high-performing long-term employees. The skills that made them successful before may no longer match what the business needs now. He acknowledges the pain of layoffs but says helping people find better-fitting roles elsewhere serves everyone better in the long run.
This is proof that the quote, what got you here might not get you there, is pure facts. Hardest moment for most leaders is layoffs, or especially firing someone, especially firing someone who's been maybe good for you for a long time. But as Marshall Goldsmith wrote, what gets you here might not get you there, right? And so this team got me to here. It doesn't necessarily get me there. And you have to recognize that. And I've had to fire really amazing, amazing people who gave their all to the company. And there's nothing wrong with those people. In fact, I helped them find new jobs. It's just that where we were going forward, the skill set that they brought wasn't the skill set we needed, and I needed to recognize that, and I needed to tell them that. And what I always say in those situations is, while it hurts today, recognize that you're going to be happier 3 months from now than you are today. You're going to be in a better position that's a better fit for you. We're going to be happier because we're going to have someone who's got a different set of skills. We're all going to be happier. Like, everybody comes out positive even though it sucks today.
