Firing someone may be the most difficult action a director ever has to take (Neugebauer, 2019). To manage this unnerving aspect of the job, I have relied on my understanding of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, the development of clear policies and procedures, and a consistent process for employee evaluation and feedback.

As I developed the skills to become an early childhood education leader, I viewed firing an employee for a performance issue as terminating their employment at the center, rather than simply “firing someone.” I felt that firing an employee is what a “boss” does, and my identity was as a leader who entered into an agreement with a candidate to join our team. I was intentional about letting candidates know during the initial interview that the interview was the first step in determining if the culture of our center was a fit, and an opportunity for them to decide if our program aligned with their purpose and values. Often, the candidate would tell me the purpose for applying for the vacant position was to get a job working with children “until they figured out what they wanted to pursue as a career.” They would tell me they loved working with children and thought working with young children would be fun. This was a red flag for me, because the culture I created at the center was one in which teachers were expected to clearly convey a passion to create a learning environment where young children were able to thrive, rather than merely survive. I recognized my responsibility was to create a professional development plan that included a reasonable amount of support, and the resources employees needed to fulfill the responsibilities in their job description.