Dear Sir,
I am faced with a terrible situation. Next month, I will have to sack my friend who is also my colleague.
He is not bad at his work. There are others who are worse than them.
But he has the problem of calling a spade a spade and he does not butter up the bosses.
The decision has been made and nothing will change it.
Also, though I tried to get out of it, I am going to be the person who has to do it.
How do I handle this?
Ans: You are in a tricky situation but, unfortunately, this is the reality of the corporate world where allocation and realignment are a way of work.
I would suggest you have this discussion in an informal setting. Explain the situation to your friend and make him understand that this is not personal. Tell him this is a management decision and help him get another job.
All the best.