When to Hire and When to Fire

Reaction Paper: Professional Troublemaker Podcasts

Section I: Insight

From the May 7 episode titled "Build the Foundation," I got insight on the power of delegating and taking ownership. Luvvi had to fire some people who were not performing at the high level she needed, and it made sense to do so—but to get to that point she had to call in her gardener to point out where the garden needing weeding. This taught me about the benefits of asking for and accepting feedback. Objectively, the podcast discusses how building a solid foundation in awareness and managing can help you succeed. Subjectively, I resonated deeply with this idea, reflecting on times when I felt I needed guidance—just someone to help me see what I was doing wrong. I think everyone needs that at times—needs a mentor—and we just need to be humble enough to accept that.

Section II: Linkages

This insight relates to an experience I had during my early career when I struggled with work-life balance. I often felt overwhelmed by the demands of my job, and I felt conflicted about being away from family for so long. Like the episode suggests, I realized that I needed to re-establish my foundation by refocusing to see what I was doing wrong. I had to see that I prioritizing where I did not need to be prioritizing—I was putting some things first that should have been second or third.

Section III: Action

To become more effective, I will prioritize self-reflection to regularly reassess my core values, my strategies, and my goals, and make sure that values and goals are guiding my decisions. I will also create a personal mission statement that reflects my values so that I do not lose sight of them. This will help me to be better equipped to handle challenges and stay true to myself so that I put the right things first.