Once you have at least 5 people, you probably have at least 1 mediocre employee.

They could be mediocre because…

• You have to frequently micromanage their tasks or
• They do their job, but their attitude sucks and don’t get along with other staff

I don’t think it’s a reality to not have any mediocre employees, but we can make positive progress toward it.

Generally speaking, I kept mediocre employees around too long because rehiring and training feel so daunting. This was on top of everything else going on. Sound familiar?

Or maybe they’re “good enough” to keep on the team. But I can tell you, “good enough” wears on you more and more over time.

The tricky part for me was deciding whether to keep an average-level employee.

I asked myself, “If they quit today, would I ask them to stay?” This question helps clarify if we should keep them or if they need to go. Anytime I’ve let someone go who wasn’t a fit, I wish I would have done it sooner, everytime.

There’s a great quote by Jerzy Gregorek, former weightlifting champion, “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” It applies to more than just employee retention but is a great mantra to live by.