My head says keep him, my heart says sack him. What should I do?

Dear Aunty B,

I hired a manager six months ago and his performance is patchy. He keeps blaming external factors and says the business model is wrong and his poor performance has nothing to do with him missing targets. I have given him a lot of instruction but it is not creating results.

His probation is up next week and it is so hard to get new staff. My head wants to hang on to him but my heart says let him go. I have been running a business for more than a decade and often have this dilemma.

What’s right? Heart or head?

Tony D,
Collingwood

Hi Tony,

I am going to give you some advice here that will cause uproar with all those pragmatic consultants out there. Go with your heart. You have been running your business for a decade. Congratulations!!

You now have a lot of experience accumulated through the head that has been deposited in the heart. Act on that. Yes, it is so hard to get rid of staff when no one even bothers to respond to your ads!! But ask your staff for referrals to other great people. Give them a reward if the candidate works out.

Many managers think they are stars, indispensable, and blame other things except their own performance. But we all know that no one is indispensable – (even me Tony!!)

You must make a quick judgement and go for the cut. If you know what you are doing and all the figures are heading in the right way, it is clearly their performance and not you who is to blame.

Now I am off to the Cup – I’m the one in the fetching hat.

Giddy up!

Your Aunty B