“I Would Never Lay Off Employees” Is Not a Values Statement

“I would never conduct a layoff.”

This was said by a student, preparing to get their MBA. Granted, that individual comes inexperienced and naive, but I have heard it from new executives and seasoned executives alike.

That statement reflects an experience gap or a lack of preparedness for CEO trenches. Further, it reveals a misunderstanding of what leadership stewardship actually requires.

“Culture” becomes the excuse for avoidance

I’ve seen leaders delay layoffs in the name of “protecting culture” while quietly doing far more damage behind the scenes:

• Burning through cash at an unsustainable rate

• Overloading high performers until they burn out or leave

• Creating anxiety, confusion, and silence across teams

• Putting the entire organization at risk

• Willing to conduct a layoff, but not cutting deep enough resulting in 2-4 additional cuts within a short timeframe.

That isn’t compassion. That’s avoidance and lack of stewardship.

Waiting almost always comes at a higher cost—financially, emotionally, and reputationally.

The myth of “never”

Strong leaders shouldn’t promise “never” because you never know what might come your way. Instead, they should promise to things they can cling to:

• Honesty

• Early action

• Responsibility

• Stewardship

Leadership isn’t about preserving jobs at all costs or shielding people from discomfort. It’s about protecting the organization so it can survive—so there are jobs in the future.

If your leadership philosophy only works when everything is going well, it won’t hold. Going well can go to tanking in a short period of time.

Layoffs don’t come out of nowhere

Here’s something leaders often forget:

Layoffs feel sudden to employees—but they are almost never sudden in the boardroom.

They are usually the result of:

• Hiring too aggressively during optimism

• Ignoring early warning signs

• Avoiding hard conversations

• Hoping reality will improve on its own

By the time layoffs happen, leadership has often already waited too long.

And when leaders delay, the eventual outcome is rarely cleaner or kinder—it’s usually messier, more chaotic, and more destabilizing for everyone involved.

Accountability is the CEO’s job

Being a CEO means making hard decisions during hard times and high-growth times.

You’re not always going to like what’s in front of you and you’re not always going to be liked.

Accountability isn’t a side effect of leadership—it’s the job. Stewardship means managing risk early, caring for the full company, ensuring it has a long runway.

To those who have been laid off

I want to be very clear: Losing a job is destabilizing. It can feel deeply personal and profoundly unfair. It’s your livelihood being pulled out from under you—often with little warning and limited control. This post is not a defense of the outcome and it is not a judgment of your worth, performance, or potential. I’ve lost my job and I know far too many people who have experienced the same. It is a horrible spot to be in and I don’t wish it on anyone.

The real question

So the real question isn’t whether layoffs are good or bad.

It’s: Where is the line between values and realism? Between empathy and avoidance? Between “protecting people” today and protecting the entire organization tomorrow and beyond?

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If this resonated, I’d love to hear what you think - leave a comment below!