When should you fire your Support Assistant
Virtual Success Show
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Episode breakdown
In this episode, Matt and Barbara talk to listeners about the often-avoided topic of when to fire your support assistant and help business owners understand the situations when it may be necessary. This episode focuses on the some of the tough situations business owners may find themselves in with their vas and why letting them go can be the best outcome not only for them, but their business as a whole.
- Avoiding the Churn & Burn – hiring and firing support assistants over and over again
- The importance of having sound systems, processes and tasks lists
- Assume nothing, clearly communicate everything
- The need for meeting rhythms and clear accountability criteria
- Setting clear parameters around what your ‘non- negotiables’ are
You’ve got to make sure you set people up to win. Too often people throw a ball to someone and expect them to know what to do with it.
In this episode
00:00 – Introduction
Matt and Barbara introduce a rarely discussed but important topic: when to fire your support assistant. Many business owners avoid this conversation until it’s too late, so this episode dives into the signs, processes, and decisions involved in letting go of a support assistant effectively and responsibly.
01:16 – When should I fire my support assistant?
Barbara explains that some clients fire support assistants too quickly, while others hold on too long. It’s crucial to recognize when someone truly isn’t fit for the role, even if all the right onboarding steps were taken. Firing should come after honest assessment—not before effort is made to support success.
02:26 – The Churn & Burn
Rapidly replacing support assistants without reflection often stems from poor systems, unclear processes, or lack of training. Firing too soon can lead to a destructive cycle. Before making a decision, ensure you’ve provided proper tools, support, and expectations for your support assistant to succeed.
03:08 – Flawed task lists
Many task lists are too vague, leading to misunderstanding and errors. Often, the issue isn’t the support assistant’s capability but unclear delegation or incomplete processes. Before blaming the support assistant, audit your instructions and documentation to ensure clarity and completeness.
03:40 – Effective communication
Success with a support assistant heavily depends on communication. Understand your support assistant’s learning style, give clear feedback, and build a win-win environment. Many failures stem not from competence, but from mismatched communication styles and expectations. Address this before considering termination.
05:53 – Setting your support assistant up to win
Support assistants, like any new employee, need time and support to adapt. If results aren’t immediate, ask whether your onboarding, documentation, and training set them up for success. A new support assistant can feel like using your non-dominant hand—awkward at first, but better with time and guidance.
07:09 – Holding your support assistant accountable
To prevent “slippery” behavior in a remote setting, implement structured oversight like project management tools (e.g., Asana), weekly huddles, and clear file organization. When accountability systems are in place, it becomes clear who is performing and who’s not.
08:04 – Meeting rhythms
Regular team meetings with clear agendas, progress updates, and task tracking reveal performance gaps. A consistent communication and collaboration framework keeps everyone aligned, prevents hiding, and surfaces issues early. Proper rhythms enhance transparency and accountability across the team.
09:41 – Making the decision to fire a support assistant
When consistent underperformance continues despite support and clear expectations, it’s time to act. Barbara shares how structured oversight made it obvious certain support assistants weren’t delivering. Firing someone who’s not a fit is a necessary business decision, not a personal failure.
10:40 – Getting clear on your standards
Matt emphasizes the importance of identifying and enforcing non-negotiables. A talented hire on paper may still fail if they don’t align with your company’s values or basic expectations. If early behaviors breach agreed standards, address it quickly to maintain team consistency and respect.
13:06 – What are your ‘non-negotiables’?
Barbara shares her dealbreakers: fixed work hours and team communication standards. Flexibility led to errors and last-minute rushes. If someone resists your foundational expectations, even with strong skills, it creates cultural misalignment—warranting a serious performance discussion or termination.
16:53 – Wrapping things up
If you’re repeatedly wondering whether to keep someone, ask: “Would I feel relieved if they resigned today?” If yes, it’s time to act. Removing a poor performer respects your team and business. A strong structure ensures the problem is with the person—not your systems.
