Inspired Nonprofit Leadership

449: Let Them Go Well with Sarah Olivieri

August 24, 2026·14 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Let Them Go Well with Sarah Olivieri The thought shows up quietly and then keeps coming back. Maybe this person is not right for us. Then it sits there for months while you look for more evidence and rehearse a conversation you never have. Meanwhile the person you are worried about is stuck in a job that is grinding on them too. In this solo episode, Sarah walks through how to know when it is time to let someone go, and how to do it in a way that leaves everyone intact. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why Sarah has never seen the instinct "I think I need to let this person go" turn out to be wrong, and what to do with that The two categories to check before you act, fit with the team and fit with the role, and why only one of them is fixable Why a bad hiring process is usually the thing that produced the conversation you are dreading How to turn a firing conversation into a quitting conversation, and when that serves both of you What nonprofit staff in particular need to hear before they can let themselves leave Who This Episode Is For • Leaders who have been carrying the same thought about the same person since spring • CEOs who keep reshuffling a role hoping it will fix a fit problem • Anyone who has avoided a hard conversation because they were afraid of how the person would react Practical takeaways • Run the two-category check. Is this about the team and your guiding principles, or is this about the role • Check your state's employment laws before you plan anything else • Have the clear conversation first. To be clear is to be kind, and simple, explicit, unjudgmental language is the whole skill • Decide your boundaries before you walk in. Last day, terms, severance, what is flexible and what is not • Do not surprise people with money. Be as generous as the timeline allows • Leave room to ask them what would make this transition feel best About Your Host, Sarah Olivieri Bold, strategic

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of Inspired Nonprofit Leadership and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.