There are times when a person needs to be released from your team. Wise leadership knows that not every person needs to stay on the team indefinitely. But how do I know when it is time to release a person?
Here are 5 reasons to Release a Person from your Team:
1. Character
Critical to good leadership is good character. A person who is dishonest, creates disunity, is a negative presence, or is a constant gossip should not be allowed to stay on your team. In a church context, allowing an unqualified leader to stay in a spiritual leadership role can wreak havoc. (We can all think of plenty of examples of this.) Find some courage and release a person who has poor character before the unity and effectiveness of your mission is eroded.
2. Competence
You might have most amazing person in the world on your team, but he simply may not have the competence or giftedness for the role that he is filling. This often occurs in a church context because a person of high character is put into a role more because he is there rather than because he is uniquely gifted for the role. Presence and faithfulness do not equal giftedness. By keeping a person in a role where he is not competent, you are hindering that person from making a much larger impact where he is truly gifted. A person serving out of his giftedness will seldom do anything more than barely maintain the area that he is leading. Make the move and release a person who is not gifted where he is working.
3. Commitment
You might have a person on your team that is filling a role, but doesn’t even want to be there. She does her job in a half-hearted manner and is constantly looking around at other opportunities. A person in this situation often doesn’t have the courage to move on. I have seen people stay in a role for years simply because they lack the courage to make a change. Sometimes you have to help a person move on that doesn’t even want to be in the role that they are in. Free them!
Also Read: Firing 101: How to Fire a Person
4. Work Ethic
A person who is lazy or lacks work ethic is not going to move your team, organization, or mission forward. You want a team made up of people who you must encourage to take time off rather than people who you have to force to work. You have limited dollars for staffing. Don’t spend them on a person who lacks work ethic.
5. Collaboration
Perhaps you have a person on your team who primarily thinks of himself before the team. You need team players not individualists. The person who wants to work in a collaborative environment, be a part of a team, and think beyond themselves is the kind of person to keep on your team.
But must you let a person from your team go over any one of these issues? Check back Wednesday for my next post: What to do before you fire a person.
If you found this post helpful consider sharing below!
