The Best Firing Script Ever Ep 10

In the latest Gym Secrets podcast, host Alex shares his effective firing script for gym owners facing the tough decision to let go of underperforming employees. He emphasizes the importance of documenting grievances and communicating expectations clearly as a fundamental HR practice. Alex outlines a direct, yet empathetic approach, starting with affirming the company's mission to ensure employees understand the broader impact of their actions. He then advises confronting the employee with specific issues and gauging their understanding of the problems, which dictates the subsequent step of either termination or further discussion. Alex underscores the necessity of removing individuals who negatively affect the business culture and assures listeners that such pruning is essential for the company's growth and success.

• Alex introduces the topic of the podcast episode, which is about the "secret firing script."
• The script is presented as a necessary tool for handling difficult conversations, particularly when managing a team.
• Alex emphasizes that despite the lack of appeal in such topics, they are essential for effective team management.
• The context provided includes previous discussions about training sessions and team management tactics aimed at improving performance and profitability.

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Gym Secrets podcast. My name is Alex and what we are going to be talking today about is the secret firing script.

This quote serves as an introduction to the episode, setting the stage for discussing the firing script and its relevance to team management.

• Alex acknowledges that firing is a tough but sometimes necessary part of managing a team.
• The discussion centers on the reality that some team members may not respond to coaching or may not be worth the effort required for improvement.
• The topic is framed as an unattractive but integral part of leadership and management responsibilities.

And so I know this one isn't a sexy one, but it's one of those tough love ones that a lot of times you have to do.

This quote explains the necessity of having difficult conversations, such as firing, as part of managing a team effectively.

• Alex shares personal experiences managing trainers with various issues like theft, inappropriate behavior, and unreliability.
• These experiences are used to highlight the complexities and challenges that come with managing personnel in a gym environment.
• The mention of specific issues like stealing and no-shows illustrates the types of problems that may necessitate the use of a firing script.

Trainers, stealing product, stealing cash, sleeping with clients, showing up late or no call, no showing for the 05:00 a.m. Session. I get it. We've all been there, okay? And I've dealt with all of them.

The quote provides examples of misconduct by team members that could lead to termination, showcasing the need for a structured approach to firing.

• Alex introduces a simple but effective firing script for managers to use.
• The importance of documenting grievances with employees is stressed, including having both parties sign off on these grievances.
• Proper documentation serves as a clear record and ensures fairness in the firing process.
• Alex suggests that articulating issues to employees is not only necessary for clarity but also a matter of being fair.

And the way that this is my incredibly simple firing script and it works amazingly well. So first, from an HR standpoint, you have to make sure that if you ever do have grievances with an employee, you need to have them noted and documented. You both sign off on them so that there's a clear understanding and you should do that anyways.

This quote outlines the initial steps of the firing script, emphasizing the importance of documentation and mutual understanding in the process, which is crucial for both legal and interpersonal reasons.

• Alex emphasizes the importance of being direct when addressing performance issues with employees.
• The approach involves reminding the employee of the company's vision and its relevance to their role.
• Alex suggests listing specific instances of the employee's performance issues.
• The purpose is to make the employee understand the gravity of their actions in the context of the company's goals.

"I'm usually really direct with this. I'm like, hey, I usually say like, hey, I'm not one to make a lot of small talk, but here's the deal, you know, employee XYz that we are trying to and then project your big vision."

This quote illustrates Alex's preference for directness over small talk when discussing performance issues, setting a serious tone for the conversation.

"We're trying to help hundreds of families take back control of their health and we're trying to make it as easy as humanly possible."

Alex is sharing the company's vision to clarify the broader purpose and impact of the employee's role, which is to support families in managing their health effectively.

"You also know that within the last x time, six months, six weeks, whatever, how long they've been working for you, you've had this happen. This happened and this happened."

By enumerating specific performance issues, Alex is providing concrete examples to the employee, highlighting the pattern of behavior that needs to be addressed.

"Now my question is, do you understand why that's a big deal? You understand why that's a problem?"

Alex's question aims to ensure the employee recognizes the significance of their actions and how they affect the company's mission and customer satisfaction.

• Alex uses the company's vision as a backdrop to discuss the employee's behavior.
• The conversation is designed to make the employee see their actions in the context of the company's objectives.
• By doing this, Alex aims to create a sense of shared responsibility and accountability.

"The reason you do that is because you're positioning the decision for the health of the business as a whole and you're reminding them what you guys are there to do, which is to serve your customers."

Alex explains that the purpose of aligning the conversation with the company's vision is to emphasize the decision's impact on the business and its customers.

"So you say that, hey, you know that we're doing that, right? And they'll say yes, like, awesome."

This quote shows Alex confirming the employee's awareness of the company's goals, seeking their agreement to establish common ground.

"So, you know, you did bad thing one, two..."

Alex is directly addressing the employee's specific actions that are not aligned with the company's vision, making it clear which behaviors are problematic.

• Alex believes in discussing particular incidents that exemplify the employee's poor performance.
• The incidents mentioned include not showing up for a session and being on a cell phone during work.
• This method serves to provide clear, undeniable examples of behavior that needs correction.

"You didn't show up for a session two months ago with no call. No showed."

The quote is an example given by Alex of a specific incident where the employee's behavior was unacceptable, demonstrating a lack of responsibility.

"And we had several customers complain about you being on your cell phone during the session. And then it happened again this week."

By citing customer complaints about the employee's behavior, Alex underscores the negative impact on customer experience and the recurrence of the issue.

• Alex discusses a two-option strategy for terminating employees who are problematic.
• The first option is that the employee acknowledges the problem, making it easier to explain their termination.
• The second option is that the employee does not see the issue, which in itself is a reason for termination.
• The script provided by Alex is designed to be simple and efficient for handling such situations.

"Either they will say, yes, I understand why that's a problem. And then you say, awesome. Then you can understand why I can no longer have you working for us with these issues that have persisted."

This quote outlines the first option where the employee agrees with the employer's assessment, which validates the decision to let them go.

"It's for the reason that you don't understand why this is a big deal, that I have to let you go."

This quote explains the second option where the employee's lack of understanding is itself the reason for termination.

• Alex refers to certain employees as "cancer" within a business, describing their negative impact on the company culture and other staff.
• These employees are characterized by their disengagement, lack of cultural fit, and negative attitudes towards clients and colleagues.
• The advice is to swiftly remove such employees to prevent damage to the company.

"Someone in your business right now that you know is a cancer that is never engaged, that doesn't bind to the culture, that drags the other trainers down, that talks negatively about your clients, talks negatively about you, maybe even behind your back."

This quote describes the type of problematic employee who is harmful to the business environment and should be terminated.

• Alex shares insights from Ox Charfin regarding the internal threats to a company.
• Great companies are more likely to fail due to internal problems rather than external forces.
• The presence of employees who do not align with the company's vision or care for its customers is a significant internal threat.

"Great companies never explode from the outside in. They implode from the inside out."

This quote emphasizes that internal issues, rather than external pressures, are often the cause of a company's downfall.

"And it's those types of people that you need to prune out of your garden and get rid of them as fast as humanly possible."

Alex uses a metaphor to suggest that problematic employees should be removed quickly to protect the company, similar to pruning a garden to promote healthy growth.

• Problematic customers or employees can hinder business growth.
• It is beneficial to let go of those who cause consistent issues.
• Focusing on problematic individuals takes up valuable time and energy.

"do not worry about anybody who loved that one guy is usually a terrible customer as well. So let them go."

This quote emphasizes the importance of not stressing over losing a problematic customer, as they are often more trouble than they are worth.

"Because if you wake up multiple mornings a week thinking about one of your trainers or having to deal with an issue that stems from one person, that person is taking up way too much attention in your life, in your business, and you'd be best served by going and finding another one."

This quote highlights the negative impact a troublesome employee or customer can have on personal well-being and business operations, suggesting it's better to replace them.

• Alex offers a step-by-step script for firing an employee.
• The script is designed to be straightforward and lead to a clear outcome.
• The process involves casting a vision, gaining agreement, citing specific issues, and then explaining the decision to let the person go.

"Just a quick recap. Sit them down, cast a vision for the company, get the agreement, then cite bad thing one, two, three that they did."

This quote is a summary of the initial steps in the firing script, which involves setting a positive vision and getting the employee's buy-in before addressing their specific shortcomings.

"Then you say awesome. Then you understand why I have to let you go. If they say no, I don't understand why it's a problem. Then you say the fact that you don't understand why it's a problem is why I have to let you go."

This quote explains the final step in the firing script, where the employee's understanding or lack thereof leads to the rationale for their dismissal.

• Alex promotes the Gym Launch System for filling a gym's capacity.
• He directs listeners to a website for case studies and additional information.
• The promotion suggests that the system has been successful for many gyms.

"If you'd like to get your gym from zero to full capacity in 30 days using the gym launch system, all you have to do is go to gymlaunchsecrets.com quiz and you can check out four free case studies for how we've done this for a bunch of gyms."

This quote is a direct promotion for the Gym Launch System, offering a resource for potential customers to learn how it has worked for other gyms.

• Alex advises being vigilant in managing one's business.
• The analogy of pruning a tree or garden is used to suggest ongoing, attentive care.
• He emphasizes the importance of regular attention to ensure business health.

"Prune your tree. Prune your garden. Be vigilant, vigilant, vigilant."

This quote uses the metaphor of gardening to describe the need for continuous and attentive management of one's business to keep it healthy and growing.