Hire Slow, Fire Fast: The Leadership Lesson That Transformed My Business
"The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world."
– Steve Jobs
Holding on to the wrong people doesn’t make you a good leader—it makes you a struggling one.
For the longest time, I resisted the advice to hire slow and fire fast. It felt cold, like I wasn’t giving people a fair chance. I thought good leadership meant being patient, giving endless opportunities, and hoping things would change.
But here’s what I learned the hard way: Keeping the wrong person for too long costs you more than letting them go.
Why "Hire Slow, Fire Fast" is the Best Business Decision You'll Make
A bad hire can cost up to 30 percent of that employee’s annual salary, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A study from CareerBuilder found that 74 percent of employers admit they’ve hired the wrong person—and 66 percent say it impacted morale and productivity.
Low performers don’t just hurt the bottom line, they lower team motivation and drain time from leadership.
I learned that firing fast isn’t about being ruthless—it’s about protecting the business, the culture, and even the person who’s not a good fit.
How to Apply It the Right Way
Hire slow: Take your time to find the right person
Instead of rushing to fill a position, get clear on exactly who you need and what success looks like. Don’t settle. The cost of hiring fast and wrong is far greater than taking your time.
Set clear expectations from day one
When someone joins your team, they should know exactly what’s expected, how success is measured, and what happens if they don’t meet the standard. Clarity avoids misalignment.
Fire fast, but professionally and fairly
If you’ve provided training, feedback, and opportunities to improve but nothing changes—let them go. Fast. Dragging it out only hurts your business, your team, and your ability to move forward.
The Hard Truth
Keeping the wrong people doesn’t make you kind. It makes you ineffective.
If someone isn’t right for the role, letting them go quickly gives them the opportunity to find something they’re actually great at. And it frees you up to build the high-performing team your business needs.
