Talent Management Expert Offers Advice on Firing

Here's the Topgrading method: Two A players (or Topgrading professionals) conduct a 4-hour interview, reviewing the manager's complete career history - every success, failure, key decision, and key relationship. Then "oral 360 interviews" are conducted, asking bosses, peers, and subordinates to confidential assess the individual. (For external hires, the candidate arranges reference calls with bosses).

Then the assessors share their conclusions with internal people assessed, and a thorough developmental plan is created. Smart says, "C player realize they have to go and they apply for a different job in the company where they believe they can perform or they exit the company. "The Topgrading method is so thorough and objective that only rarely are their hard feelings," said Smart.

C players are coached to get a job they can really perform in and those who stay are coached to be even more productive and to earn promotions.

"Trouble is," said Smart, "people are usually fired on the recommendation of one boss, and the people fired easily conclude the process was unfair. That can lead to law suits. But the Topgrading process has two high level A players or Topgrading professionals involved, and when they are perceived as unbiased and very thorough, everyone wins."

FEATURED RESOURCE: To discuss Topgrading professionals auditing and coaching your team, or getting some of you're A players trained to assess and coach internal people and external candidates for hire.

www.SmartTopgrading.com