You're Fired

I submitted the below post almost exactly one year ago. The topic of firing people came up this past week and I thought it was a good time to share more on the subject.

12 years or so ago I fired the Chief Runner at Road Runner Sports. I love Mike G and have love for the company but he was personally bringing me down. So I stopped communicating with him. I engaged with him only when he started the engagement. It worked for almost 10 years. I believe our relationship is as strong as it is today because I fired him years ago. When it stopped working is when I decided to leave the company. Best working 12 years of my life and best professional move I ever made, leaving RRS.

Roughly 4 years ago I fired three individuals associated with Zoot. All three were exceptional business people but all three were also bringing me down every time I interacted with them. It worked great. I never contacted them and if and when they contacted me I was always on the good side of emotions. Well over time 2 of them for one reason or another left the organization. This past week the third member departed.

So the story is that sometimes you need to leave and sometimes you just need to be patient and wait it out. The end result is your happiness. There is no room in your life to be miserable. There is every reason to stay engaged. Fire people in your work, fire people on Facebook (I do this regularly and it feels good), Unfollow on Twitter. Whatever you do don't let them bring you down.


-------------------------------------------------


Quote of the Day: The average level of engagement that American team members have with their work has remained at 30% or less for the past 10 years, and almost as many are hostile to their employers. 
- Conscious Capitalism - John Mackey and Raj Sisodia

Catalina Island, CA from my last flight of the week. Interesting still photo of a propeller 

Number 2 on what I believe in my work life is Love What You Do. I'm lucking because my sport running and triathlon is also my job. But even in this world it would be very easy to get down on my job, get down on my company and be part of the Majority and not engage. I do a few things regularly that I think help to keep me engaged in my work:

1. I regularly tell myself that I'm good at what I do. 
2. I take frequent disengaged breaks from work. I do this daily, weekly and monthly. 
3. I read often about how to remain engaged. My favorite book of all time in this world is the Power of Full Engagement. 
4. I get out of the office regularly - I can do this as part of my job and it helps to get outside and talk the the retailers, athletes and others who play a role in the business. 
5. I Fire People 

What does that mean I Fire People
As best as I describe it is, regularly I come across people who bring me down rather than build me up. Or they are simply sour about my company. When they do too much of that I Fire them or remove contact with them from my life. In work that mean's I will engage with them only when they contact me. I will not start any engagement with them.

• I will not email them. 
• I will not stand at the water cooler with them. 
• I will not seek them out. 

Do I tell them You're Fired, No. I simply remove them from my life and move on. This way the negative energy is no longer around me and I can go on doing great things in my work. I would give you examples but that would mean bringing them back in my life and that' would be crazy. 

It's a good life....

Dave