[gopowerranger]

As a business owner, sometimes it can't be helped, and sometimes you have to think that way cause firing someone is never a pleasant task.

Sometimes you know it must be done but you know the person is nice enough but just not competent, or can't do the job, or the job has changed and they're getting fired for no fault of their own.

There are those times when you fire someone but you feel guilty that, as their manager, maybe you could have done better with them but you didn't have time, were too distracted, too tired.

In companies that get big enough, the percentage of people getting fired for cause gets higher. Then firing people becomes part of a routine. If you let your feelings get involved, it will drive you crazy, so you try not to let that happen.

[mikegioia]

Wow what a wonderful answer. This is the most clear and succinct way of explaining the transition in dealing with employee termination from a small to larger company.

Regarding the guilt, I think you're right -- a lot of people don't realize that every day spent trying to work with an unproductive employee/coworker is a day lost by the productive one. At a certain point or company-size you can't continue doing it.