Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead

by Laszlo Bock

even “Neutron Jack,” as Welch was called due to the layoffs and firings that characterized much of his tenure as CEO, mellowed in his description of the process in later years. In 2006, he elaborated on his approach to “rank-and-yank” sorting of employees: The “yank” myth of differentiation says the bottom 10% are summarily fired. In reality, that’s rare. More typically, when a person has been in the bottom 10% for a sustained period of time, the manager starts a conversation about moving on. Occasionally, of course, an underperformer doesn’t want to go. But confronted with the cold reality of how the organization views them, most people leave of their own accord and very often end up at companies where their skills are a better fit and they are more appreciated.133 He then argues that it’s kinder to be direct with an employee: Compare that with companies where managers, in the name of kindness, allow people, and particularly underperformers, to plod along for years. Then a downturn occurs. Middle-aged underperformers are always the first to get the ax. One by one, their manager calls them in for a conversation that usually goes like this: “Joe, I’m afraid you have to leave.” “What! Why me?” “Well … you were never very good.” “I’ve been here 20 years. Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Why not indeed? The employee, years earlier, might have been able to find a job with a future. Now, at age 45 or 50, he must enter a job market more competitive than ever. That’s cruel.134