I’m starting to find myself in some tough spots. Last week we had a few guys that were having a rough time even making it through pushing off of a wall without stopping immediately. This combined with the fact that we have a 6-lane pool with over 30 swimmers meant that we unfortunately had to make some cuts.

Now for a business example. We (at @UniqueHomeSol) recently setup a marketing group to head up our online, TV and print campaigns. After about a week I was approached and told that if I didn’t “provide direction to the group” I would be done. Fortunately I was able to warm up to the idea of pushing ideas out into the room and developed the capacity to accept praise and criticism.

It seems like everyday we find ourselves in situations were we have to make cuts and sacrifices for the greater good of our company and teams. My question to you is how long does it take? Does everyone get the same chance, or do certain people get special treatment because of a relationship that they have with the owner or coach?

Ultimately, when is it appropriate to tell someone that feel like ‘they’ are no longer an asset to your team? I’m thoroughly interested in your thoughts so please share them.