How not to fire someone...
I work for a smallish web-design/software house. Back in the day, we were even smaller and very new - helmed by an ex-bank worker who had never run a company before, and thus, was rather inexperienced at boss-like things such as; firing people being one of them.
Anyhoo, at more or less the same time that I joined, so did one German designer. She turned out to be shit, quite a nutcase and frankly no-one really got on with her; the boss least of all. For instance, I remember her trying to justify to him why it had taken her 3 days to knock up what amounted to 3 circles plonked next to each other as a starting point for a site-design – what most B3tan would do in 3 seconds (possibly in magenta rather than green). When challenged by the boss she'd immediately protest that he "didn't understand the intricacies of design", and such like outbursts.

So fast-forward a week, and he tells me over a cigarette break that Amanda “has to go”. I had no bones with the girl, but still, we weren’t mate either so “fair” thinks I – who am I to disagree.

A week comes & goes, and still Amanda is blissfully unaware at her pending doom. Another week goes, and still nothing. Our new self-appointed boss has yet to garner the balls to do his first sacking and everyone knows it – except poor Amanda.

Of course she finds out in the end of course; about 3 weeks later. It was when everyone was gathered round the boss’s desk for a quick talk on a new website a site that the “ding-dong!” sound of a new email is heard from the boss’s computer.

The email is entitled “Good luck with sacking that German!!” with more text underneath; presumably a follow-on email from a conversation about “so how do you sack some-one?”

It is seen by everyone gathered as it beautifully fades in as a small box into the bottom right of the screen for just a few seconds, and then fades out again - like all new emails in Outlook 2003 do. The boss’s speech trails; the room goes eerily silent. Amanda collects her things and walks out in stony silence.

Poor Amanda*


*Name changed to avoid legal possible implications. No seriously. Oh, and she loved the length.
( slippery doctore, Thu 1 Feb 2007, 19:39, Reply)