Firing someone is never easy—especially when you care deeply about your sales team and want every member to succeed. Over my 23 years of building and leading sales teams, I’ve hired more than 3,000 people and had to let go of more than 380. Trust me when I say this: it doesn’t get easier, but it can be done the right way.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through my proven 3-9-17 Formula for firing someone respectfully and efficiently. This formula has helped me—and many other sales leaders—navigate tough decisions while maintaining the integrity of their leadership and the morale of their team.
Why Firing Someone Is Hard (But Necessary)
But here’s the cold, hard truth: keeping someone who consistently underperforms, despite having every chance to improve, will actively hurt your top performers. Leadership is about building a thriving team culture, and sometimes that means making hard, necessary decisions to protect the group.
The key? Doing it with clarity and care.
Step 1: The 3 Checks Before You Consider Firing Someone
Before you even think about letting someone go, check yourself as a leader. I call this “checking yourself before you wreck yourself.”
- Clear Expectations – Have you set clear standards for performance? Do they know what success looks like?
- Proper Training – Have you provided the necessary tools, training, and resources for them to succeed?
- Clear Correction – Have you addressed underperformance directly while showing you care? Are you being “soft like a brick”—kind yet firm?
If you can’t confidently check all three, go back and refine your leadership approach. Sometimes, the issue isn’t them—it’s a leadership opportunity for you.
Step 2: The 9 Questions Every Sales Leader Must Ask Before Termination
Once you’ve done your due diligence, it’s time for a deeper evaluation. This Forward Leadership approach removes the emotion from the decision-making process. Ask yourself these nine critical questions to ensure you’re making the right call:
- Do I fully understand what good performance looks like in their role?
- Have I done my job well as their leader?
- Will they be blindsided by this decision?
- Can they improve fast enough for what the team needs?
- How is this affecting team morale?
- Would I hire them again today?
- Do I need to replace them, and can I find someone better?
- How quickly can I ramp up someone new?
- Is this the best move for the business, the team, and them?
These questions remove the emotion from the decision-making process. Leadership requires clarity, and these questions ensure you’re focused on facts—not feelings.
Step 3: The 17-Word Phrase on How to Fire Someone Respectfully
Here’s where most sales leaders stumble—they over-explain. You don’t need to justify your decision for 30 minutes. When it’s time to let someone go, be short, clear, and respectful.
I use this exact 17-word phrase:
“I’m concerned about your performance. We need to make a change. I’m going to let you go.” No fluff. No unnecessary apologies. Being clear is being kind. Your sales team will respect you more for it.
Building a High-Performing Sales Team After Tough Decisions
Firing someone isn’t just about letting someone go—it’s about protecting the culture and performance of your sales team. Every tough call you make as a leader shapes the future of your team.
Over the years, I’ve developed a complete system that transforms disjointed groups into high-performing sales dynasties. If you’re ready to bypass the trial and error and elevate your leadership, I highly recommend diving into the Sales Leadership Masterclass.
Make it a great day.
