Maybe It’s Time To Let Some People Go

I’m a big fan of Patrick Lencioni’s work. You might have heard of some of his books, including:

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
  
• Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable…About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business
  
• The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business
  

The Advantage is my favorite (and the author’s only non-fable based book). One of the important topics Lencioni talks about in this book is the importance of values and their impact on an organization’s purpose and culture. This book is so good I’ve used it as a giveaway at many of my presentations about values.

I also subscribe to Lencioni’s newsletter, referred to as Pat’s Point Of View. [you can sign up for it here]

In his article titled The Dangerous Fear of Attrition, Lencioni highlights the obsession many leaders have with retention. It’s the common problem that happens when an employer tries to retain all employees, a business owner bends over backwards to retain all customers, or a church leader does everything possible to retain all members.

This is a dangerous and unhealthy proposition. It is a slippery slope that leads to losing those that matter most – the organization’s core constituents.

The solution

Sometimes the best thing to do is to encourage misaligned employees, customers or church members to leave. The organization will be better without them.

In fact, letting unhappy people go can actually be the kindest thing to do for those that don’t fit. And as Lencioni suggests, when those individuals are freed to leave, sometimes they might choose to stay – for the right reasons.

But even more important is what this means for those that stay – the core.

Consider this powerful statement by Lencioni:

“What attracts new people to an organization or movement is the same thing that keeps the best people in them—a sincere, unapologetic and joyful commitment to what matters most.”

Imagine an organization with a culture of a sincere, unapologetic and joyful commitment to what matters most. As Lencioni states in his book The Advantage, such an organization has answered the question: Why Do We Exist?

It’s about crafting an inspiring and meaningful purpose – along with clearly defined differentiating values. This is how to attract and keep the right people, and build a stronger and healthier organization.

So if you’re ready to get serious about your organization’s purpose – maybe it’s time to let some people go.