ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 describes the dismissal of employees. The text points out that a dismissal can often be very painful for the dismissed as well as the manager, if it is not handled properly.
The authors’ point of view is that it is indeed possible to dismiss people in a good way, provided the preceding process has included four activities which are described in detail. The most important point is that the manager should be aware that it is a fundamental part of people management to evaluate the individual employee, and this puts a great responsibility on the manager.
The chapter also describes two types of “difficult employees”: the rigid employee and the dramatic employee. Both can be in danger of getting dismissed, but for different reasons. Trying to avoid a dismissal, the manager must be aware that the two types also require different kinds of management. The chapter demonstrates how and why.
Finally, the manager is urged always to be aware of the scapegoat phenomenon, which is where a group through projective processes subconsciously designates a particular person to blame for all the group’s problems. In those cases, the scapegoat can end up being dismissed without any positive effect – the problem just moves on to another “victim”.
The text is illuminated by cases.
