404 - How To Let People Go When The Team Likes Them

Host Maria Pirita and guest Ron Sosa, CVPM and author of Rewriting the Rules, tackle a mailbag question about what to tell a veterinary team when a well-liked employee must be fired for reasons that did not directly affect coworkers. They discuss the leader’s mindset, balancing empathy with business needs, and avoiding over-explaining, justifying, or revealing confidential details. Key goals are stabilizing the team, providing as much clarity as possible while maintaining privacy, and minimizing loss of trust, including addressing fears like “Am I next?” They share examples such as termination for time theft, warn against “giving it away” indirectly, and recommend a communication approach that states the facts, sets boundaries, validates emotions, and quickly moves to an operational plan. The episode also notes community support, documentation, and resources like the Don’t Get Sued course module on at-will employment and wrongful termination.

Ron Sosa is the Executive Director of Uncharted Veterinary Conference, a published author, international speaker, and veterinary leader with more than 20 years of experience in operations, practice management, leadership development, and consulting. From client service representative to business partner to industry educator, Ron has built a career around helping veterinary professionals create healthier teams and more sustainable workplaces. As the founder of Syn APT Neuroinclusive Leadership, he is especially passionate about neuroinclusive leadership, workplace culture, burnout prevention, and helping people thrive at work.

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