No Bullsh!t Leadership – Moment 154: Layoffs Done Right (Without Losing Your Best People)

Host: Martin G Moore
Release Date: January 4, 2026

Episode Overview

In this "Moments with Marty" episode, Martin G Moore tackles one of the hardest challenges in leadership: executing layoffs—or as he calls it, “letting someone go”—with integrity, decisiveness, and genuine care for retaining your top talent. Using his direct, no-nonsense approach, Moore breaks down key types of terminations, shares battle-hardened advice, and reveals actionable steps to prevent your best people from jumping ship during organizational cutbacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Types of Terminations (00:30–01:38)

• Termination for Convenience:

  • Either party (employer or employee) can end the relationship at any time.
  • Should be “simple, quick, painless,” especially when handled proactively.
  • Not surprising if leaders have maintained good communication.

• Termination for Cause:

  • Requires “solid evidence of underperformance over an extended period.”
  • Involves a “lot of coaching and monitoring, giving feedback with increasing frequency,” and likely HR involvement.
  • Positive impact: “It demonstrates that you’re serious about setting a high standard and that you won’t let the good work of the majority be undermined by one or two people...” (01:28)

• Redundancy (Layoffs):

  • Tricky because it’s about roles, not individuals.
  • Example: Moore himself experienced redundancy in 2004 after a company acquisition.
  • Commonly stems from cost-cutting and restructures; requires delicacy and careful planning.

2. Layoffs and Strengthening Your Team (01:39–02:53)

• Gene Pool Strategy:

  • Use redundancies to “strengthen your gene pool.”
  • Align role eliminations with where poor performance exists whenever possible—but recognize you can’t avoid hard choices.

• Main Objective:

  • “Lock in your talent. You don’t want any of your high performers to get spooked and leave just because you decide to go on a cost cutting binge.” (02:33)

3. Three Critical Actions To Retain Top Talent (02:54–04:13)

Action 1: Communicate Directly With Top Performers

• “Speak to your top talent directly one on one. Explain what’s happening and why it’s happening and explain that they’re critical to the business. Tell them explicitly that their job is safe.” (03:05)

Action 2: Execute Cuts Decisively

• Avoid drawn-out processes:
  • “Don’t meander around with three or four months of consultation. Don’t have multiple waves of redundancies over several stages. Do it once, do it right, and then get on with business.” (03:28)

Action 3: Reassure the Survivors

• After the layoffs,

  • “Speak to everyone, both in groups and one on one, to reinforce that the cuts are over, that those remaining are going to be looked after...” (03:42)
  • “Resetting the cost base has put the company in a better competitive position going forward.” (03:50)

• Warning:

  • “It’s most often the sins of omission in communicating the changes that cause people to become insecure and look for other job alternatives.” (03:55)
  • Top performers “know they can get another challenging, well paid job tomorrow, so in times of turmoil they’re going to be even less sticky than your average worker...” (04:01)

4. Leading With Balance: Cost & Compassion (04:14–04:45)

• A “really good leader executes the changes with two things in mind. The first is to minimise the cost and risk exposure of the business and the second is to preserve the dignity and self esteem of the individual to the greatest extent possible.” (04:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Like any other leadership skill, you’ve got to get good at [terminating employment].” (00:29)
• “You should have one overarching objective: to lock in your talent.” (02:36)
• “Don’t meander around with three or four months of consultation... Do it once, do it right, and then get on with business.” (03:28)
• “It’s most often the sins of omission in communicating the changes that cause people to become insecure...” (03:55)
• “Preserve the dignity and self-esteem of the individual to the greatest extent possible.” (04:19)

Key Timestamps

• 00:30 – Overview of types of termination
• 01:24 – The purpose of termination for cause
• 01:44 – The complexity and emotions of redundancy
• 02:36 – Objective in layoff scenarios: retaining talent
• 02:54 – Three actions to keep top talent during layoffs
• 03:28 – Importance of acting decisively
• 03:55 – Pitfalls in communication and insecurity
• 04:17 – Balancing business needs with compassion

Summary

Martin G Moore offers a concise, practical framework for navigating one of the toughest leadership moments: layoffs. He lays out the different types of terminations, gives real-world strategies to “lock in your talent,” and stresses both speed and sensitivity in executing job cuts. Most importantly, he insists on direct, clear communication—and always, preserving the self-respect of every individual.

For those wanting more, Moore recommends episode 225 (“Handling Layoffs Competently”) for a deeper dive into the topic.