Be Ready When the Luck Happens

by Ina Garten

admiral eyed us disapprovingly as if we were misbehaving toddlers. One day, when yet another annoying memo came around, I was shocked to read that it was about me. I’d been fired! Fired, just like that, no explanation, for all (well, the other three people) to see. I wasn’t devastated by the news—it was like being thrown out of class for talking too much. “I guess he didn’t find our conversations as interesting as we did?” I told Carolyn, who’d somehow escaped the guillotine. But I was appalled by the way it was delivered, abruptly, publicly, and with absolutely no consideration for my feelings. It was a good experience, though, because years later, when I became the boss, I knew how to be a better one. If I had a problem with an employee, first we’d talk about it privately to see if we could fix it. If there wasn’t a solution, and firing was the only option, I’d take the time to explain why, so they might know how to approach the next job differently or find a job that better suited their interests. People usually thanked me for firing them! Afterward, I would call the rest of my staff together and explain why the person was fired. I did this for two reasons: first, to show them that I wasn’t being arbitrary, there was a specific problem; and second, to clarify that the employee’s behavior wasn’t okay. Surprisingly, although I was concerned that everyone would be upset with me for firing their coworker, they always agreed with me. Each time, I found out that the staff was...