logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2019
28m 19s

How To Fire a Bad Employee

Slate Podcasts
About this episode

Gabe wants to fire a bad employee, but still be a good boss. In this episode of How To! we turn to Stanford professor of management science, Bob Sutton (The No Asshole Rule and Good Boss, Bad Boss) for help. First, Sutton says, Gabe has to act like a boss, not a friend. Then he should write a letter, focus on compassion and hide the box of tissues.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Apr 14
How To Solve a Mystery
Brett has spent her career in foreign policy — shaping strategy, advising governments, moving pieces on a board whose outcomes she may never live to fully see. It's meaningful work. It just never feels finished. So she's started thinking about a different kind of problem: the kin ... Show More
39m 45s
Apr 7
How To Communicate with Your Pet
Living with a cat often feels like a game of high-stakes interpretation, especially when an 18-pound Maine Coon is performing a 4:30 AM tap dance on your head. Today on How To!, Mike Pesca is joined by cat owner Steve, who shares the reality of navigating the vocal demands of his ... Show More
37m 6s
Mar 31
How to Not Say "Um"
Relying on filler words like "um," "like," and "you know" is a universal habit that clutters our speech and betrays our nerves, but simply willing yourself to stop only makes the problem worse. Today on How To!, Mike Pesca is joined by renowned data journalist and author Nate Sil ... Show More
44m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2021
r/Maliciouscompliance How I Got My Boss Fired By Obeying Her Terrible Instructions
r/Maliciouscompliance haven't you ever wished that you could get your boss fired? In today's video, OP has an opportunity to do exactly that. OP's smug boss tells him, "Don't help me unless I ask for your help!" Of course, the boss is incredibly incompetent at her job and has no ... Show More
18m 30s
Apr 2018
Bad Bosses
Is your boss making your life miserable? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Moshe Cohen, a senior lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. They talk through what to do when your boss is a jerk, a workaholic, or simply incompetent. 
37m 37s
Jan 2022
r/Maliciouscompliance I Got My Boss Fired By Following His Orders
r/Maliciouscompliance In today's episode, OP is a skilled worker who is very good at her job. She uses her spare time to help out her coworkers, which boosts the team's productivity. Unfortunately, this makes her boss look bad, because he's the one who's supposed to be training e ... Show More
19m 9s
Feb 2022
r/Maliciouscompliance I Stopped Doing My Boss's Job and He Got Fired!
r/Maliciouscompliance In today's episode, OP's boss constantly piles more and more work onto his desk. Then, his boss leaves the office so he can go play golf during work hours. OP eventually gets sick of doing his boss's job for him, so he complains and gets told to do his job. ... Show More
17m 46s
May 2020
Challenging the Boss
Do you fear speaking frankly with your supervisor? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Liz Kislik, a management consultant and executive coach. They talk through what to do when your boss micromanages your output, you want to set boundaries for better work-life ... Show More
35m 10s
Jun 2021
r/Maliciouscompliance My Boss Fired Me, So I Ruined Her Business!
r/Maliciouscompliance OP is one of the most valuable employees in his company. He delivers a premium product to the company's clients and gets rave reviews. When a new boss takes over the company, she immediately begins cutting costs by reducing the quality of the product and lay ... Show More
18m 30s
Oct 2021
r/Prorevenge Fire Me? I'll Destroy Your Life TWICE!
r/Prorevenge In today's episode, OP works as a teacher at a private school. The owner is an incredibly toxic employer who treats his employees like garbage and looks down on his "lessers." He eventually fires OP, so OP goes reports his boss to the government for using hundreds of ... Show More
18m 24s