The No. 1 Reason Barbara Corcoran Will Fire You
Getting fired is one of those life events that even the best workers or employees eventually have to stare down — although being the person doing the firing can also take an emotional toll.
But for “Shark Tank” star and business personality Barbara Corcoran, there’s just one major reason you could be targeted for a booting — and one simple way to get the job done from the other side of the desk, if push comes to shove. The topic surfaced during a recent appearance Corcoran made on "The Burnouts" podcast.
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See what makes or breaks your career with Corcoran and other bosses, as well as what to do if you're the employer tasked with the difficult duty of letting someone go.
A Bad Attitude Earns You a One-Way Ticket to Unemployment
After recounting her own early employment history — a list of experiences that eventually taught her that the worst bosses make their subordinates feel small or “less-than,” while the best bosses make their team members feel like “a million bucks,” which is what she aspires to do — Corcoran took on the question of how, exactly, you might put a target on your back for a firing.
Stating that you can’t change a bad attitude, Corcoran gave the example of a fresh hire she’d once snagged from a competing firm. After about 18 months of intense sales training, the saleswoman remained stubbornly out of line, and no amount of musical chairs concerning job roles or incentives was going to change that, in Corcoran's view:
“I fired her and I learned a very valuable lesson. You have somebody who has a bad attitude, they’re going to suck other people into their attitude,” she said.
“They’re like thieves in the night that put their hands in your pocket and steal your money — the equivalent of that. I fire them right away because I don’t want them to contaminate my other sales people,” she continued, noting that she felt a certain degree of motherly responsibility to protect the hardworking and happy members of her staff.
When It’s Time To Fire Workers With a Bad Attitude, Keep It Clean and Simple
Keeping up with the tough love for bad attitudes theme, the “Shark Tank” icon elaborated on her position from the perspective of a boss making the decision to terminate a poorly behaved employee.
“The minute I see a complainer, I make an appointment to fire them,” Corcoran said, making no bones about her position — and also adding with a bit of glib humor that it’s always her way to fire people on Fridays, the earlier the better.
“And then I say, ‘It’s not working out. You don’t fit in here.' I give no more information than that. And you know why? Because the first time I fired someone, I tried to explain to them what was lacking — and you never win the argument,” she added.
It’s not all hard edges, though. Corcoran did admit to offering those she’d fired a bit of advice on where they might find a better fit in terms of workplace culture — even if that fit wasn’t in her firm.
According to Corcoran, oftentimes those on the receiving end of a pink slip left their last meeting with her feeling like they’d received a promotion (instead of a well-earned job loss).
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